A Vancouver Park Board meeting was cut short after the chair said the room’s “energy" was causing members to feel unsafe..More than 40 people signed up to speak at the Monday night meeting following a presentation on the Stanley Park Mobility Study. However, the meeting was brought to an end after only three of the 44 registered speakers had their say..The third speaker, Vancouver lawyer Phil Rankin, said he’d lost faith in the board, suggesting it had become “ideologically driven.”.Rankin was referring specifically to the park board's bike lane policy, which eliminates one lane of vehicle traffic..Implemented in the early days of COVID-19, Rankin says its impact on traffic is making park access more difficult for people with mobility issues who have no choice but to drive..Last fall, commissioners voted to keep the bike lane..“Your staff is ideological,” said Rankin..Committee Chair Camil Dumont recessed the meeting following Rankin’s comments. Upon returning, Dumont said “I’m feeling that this is a threat to me.”.After a further tense exchange, Dumont recessed once more before axing the meeting for the night..“So, here’s the compromise that I would like to come to after having spoke to some commissioners and some staff. Currently we have members on our staff team and also commissioners who feel threatened and do not feel safe with the energy in the room right now," he said..Shouting erupted off-camera..“Please, let me finish. This is exactly the type of interruption that is perpetuating that feeling,” said Dumont..The meeting was then adjourned and will resume Tuesday evening, beginning with the fourth speaker.
