AQUARIUM EXPANSION REQUEST REQUIRES REFERENDUM VOTE

The Vancouver Park Board Staff has recommended that at their meeting on Monday, November 30, the Park Board commissioners approve an aquarium expansion in Stanley Park of over 4000 sq. feet. Among other species, the additional space would be used to hold captive whales.

This recommendation is contrary to Park Board policy. The Aquarium's rental agreement with the Park Board clearly prohibits any further land expansion in Stanley Park. However, this has never hindered the aquarium's efforts to expand. The aquarium's last official request for a bigger orca tank was rejected by the Board in 1994.

In 1995, the Coalition For no Whales In Captivity brought to the attention of the Board that the aquarium had illegally expanded the sea lion tank 400 sq. feet outside its footprint in Stanley Park, without first requesting permission or even advising the Park Board.

Not long after the sea lion tank incident, the aquarium announced that it wanted even more parkland. Commissioner David Chesman consequently proposed the motion (see Page 2) that requires placing any official request for aquarium expansion before the voters of Vancouver. The motion carried on December 4, 1995.

The Coalition expects the Park Board to allow Vancouver taxpayers to vote on this Stanley Park issue. At the upcoming Monday night meeting, the commissioners must do what's right and reject the Staff's recommendations. The aquarium's official request for land expansion must be put to a public referendum vote in next year's municipal elections, as per the 1995 motion.

For the Park Board to ignore its own referendum policy and violate its lease agreement with the aquarium, would be tantamount to breaking the law.

A detailed 13-page Park Board Staff report is available upon request.

VANCOUVER PARK BOARD MEETING
Monday, November 30, 1998 @ 7:00 p.m.

For more information contact:
Annelise Sorg, Director
COALITION FOR NO WHALES IN CAPTIVITY

Tel: (604) 736-9514
Cel: (604) 838-3642