MEET SPENCER
Why I’m Running
I’m running for Vancouver Park Board because public spaces shape how we experience our city. Parks, community centres, and recreation programs are where friendships form, families gather, and communities grow.
They should be accessible, welcoming, and reliable for everyone. Vancouver’s public spaces are not just amenities — they are essential infrastructure for connection, health, and belonging.
But in recent years they have been neglected, with millions in cuts and 72 percent of the city's facilities in poor condition. It is now time for a return to common sense decision-making that helps our parks, public spaces, and communities thrive.
Background
A lifelong lover of Vancouver's parks, Spencer is a writer, community advocate, and accessibility expert, dedicated to making public spaces work for everyone.
A regular commentator on radio and television, he has had over 150 articles published across Canada on how public spaces can better serve communities. Spencer is particularly passionate about ensuring that Vancouver’s parks are spaces where everyone can safely and fully enjoy nature, recreation, and community programs.
Spencer also founded the Vancouver Community Inclusion Fest and chairs Community Living BC's Vancouver Council. Through these efforts, he has focused on making community spaces—including playgrounds, trails, beaches, and park facilities—more accessible, welcoming, and enjoyable for all.
Governments and organizations at all levels have consulted Spencer on accessibility strategies, and his guidance has been recognized as instrumental in creating barrier-free, inclusive parks and community spaces. Spencer even drew the attention of the UN, which sought him out as a contributor to an initiative about the impact of climate change and extreme heat on human rights.
For his work, he was named the Rick Hansen Foundation’s Difference Maker of the Year, received the City of Vancouver’s Excellence Award for Accessibility, the BC Medal of Good Citizenship, and five other honours for community service, having volunteered with seniors, newcomers, low-income youth, as a community cleanup organizer, and more.
Outside advocacy, Spencer loves exploring Vancouver’s parks, sharing his knowledge of BC’s wildlife—especially woodland critters—and helping people connect with the natural and cultural history of the city’s public spaces.
He also enjoys editing his Community Conversations newsletter, a monthly roundup of local resources and opportunities sent to 50,000 Vancouverites.
What I'll Focus On
We need more common sense decision making that benefits Vancouverites. As a Park Board Commissioner, my priorities would include:
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Improving accessibility in parks and community facilities
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Ensuring parks are safe, clean, and well-maintained
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Protecting and enhancing green spaces and urban canopy
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Updating long outdated buildings and spaces
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Strengthening recreation and community programming
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Transparent decision-making and much greater public engagement
Our parks and public spaces are far too important to be treated like afterthoughts.
Join The Team
I’m building a team of supporters who believe in accessible, welcoming public spaces. If you’d like to stay informed and learn how to support this campaign, I’d be grateful to have you involved.