Thursday, May 25, 2006

NPA PARK BOARD CHAIR MUST RESIGN

NPA PARK BOARD CHAIR MUST RESIGN


Hi Folks,

I am posting this notice below in order for speakers to sign up for May 29 park board meeting, objecting to the Aquarium's plans to expand. As people may know, Heather Holden, is the Park Board Chair and is also an Aquarium employee. Please see www.straight.com for a story on Ms Holden. Previous NPA commissioners passed a resolution that if Aquarium expansion plans were to occur, they must be presented to the public for a vote. This has not happened and it appears that Ms Holden is in a total conflict of interest over this matter and should immediately step down as the Park Board Chair--Jamie Lee.

Can you please sign up to speak at the Park Board meeting this Monday May 29 at 7 pm to speak out against the Vancouver Aquarium?s planned expansion plans. Call 604-257-8451 and say that you want to speak to the motion regarding the Aquarium expansion.

In 1995 the NPA dominated Park Board passed a motion saying that if the Aquarium were ever to expand they would have to have a public vote to find out if Vancouverites supported such expansion. There is a motion going to the floor of the Park Board next Monday that would remove the obligation of having the public vote. Instead the Park Board could simply grant the Aquarium the room to expand into the Park, which of course is what they plan to do.

Please sign up to speak by this Friday (604-257-8451). It would also be great if you sent a letter to all the Park Board Commissioners against the proposed expansion and proposed motion. Can you please pass this on to other environmentalists to see if they will speak out against development in the park, and to other animal welfare groups who oppose keeping more whales and dolphins in the park? The motion is also on the Park Board website under the May 29 agenda.