Phase 1 engagement results

We are excited to share our new What We Heard Report. This report summarizes feedback we received through our first phase of engagement, which was conducted in winter 2021-2022. It includes the results of our public survey, hosted here on Shape Your City, along with results from other engagement activities. These activities included pop-up events, interviews, two targeted surveys, and meetings with our External Advisory Group. The feedback gathered during phase 1 engagement will help inform directions and priorities for the draft Sport Field Strategy, which is currently under development. Keep an eye on this page for upcoming engagement activities, including opportunities to provide input on draft strategy ideas.

Key themes from phase 1 engagement:

• Sport fields in Vancouver are highly valued public assets and used for a wide range of activities by a diversity of residents.
• Amenity upgrades and enhancements (e.g. washrooms, warm-up areas, spectator seating, etc.) are a key priority focus areas for both residents and user groups.
• Ensuring fields are accessible for both traditional and emerging uses is important and needs to be considered in capital planning and ongoing operations (e.g. allocation of field space and time).
• While the pandemic has been disruptive and presented challenges, there is an expectation that most sports groups will grow in the coming years.
• Activity preferences and trends are varied across the city and influenced by a number of factors, including the capacity of community organizations delivering the program(s), the availability of suitable sport fields, and demographics.
• A diversity of viewpoints exist on the types of sport fields that should be a priority for future investment. Demands for both basic neighbourhood-level fields and major “hub” facilities were expressed by various groups and residents across the city.
• Residents and user groups also hold a wide range of perspectives related to artificial turf based on health and environment considerations.
• Residents value opportunities for casual (“spontaneous”) play and want quality sports field surfaces available for these activities close to where they live.
• Residents across the city feel strongly that equity and accessibility, especially for youth, should be primary planning and investment considerations.