The fate of two longtime Vancouver park attractions will be decided tonight.
The Vancouver Park Board is expected to vote on staff recommendations to shut down the children’s farmyard in Stanley Park and to endorse an agreement to keep the Bloedel Conservatory open.
Last November, the board voted to close both money-losing attractions but, following some public outcry, decided to look at proposals to keep them operating.
“I feel a lot of pressure to get this done,” said John Coupar, president of Friends of Bloedel (FOB). “All these people in the public are really depending on our little group to keep the park board moving forward.”
FOB has partnered with the 7,000-volunteer Van Dusen Botanical Garden Association to manage and operate Bloedel in partnership with the park board. It would remain a public facility, but would be operated on the same model as VanDusen.
If approved, the children’s farmyard would close Jan. 2 after the annual Bright Nights Christmas event.
Twelve organizations have expressed interest in taking some or all of the 122 animals.
