DNV Refuses to Engage with Track & Field Community

Despite initial engagement, the DNV has refused to respond to emails and phone calls about community collaboration to support construction of a rubberized track. The website notes:

"To avoid further delay, our focus is on delivering a new artificial turf field at Handsworth for soccer, rugby, field hockey, and football for late 2026. 

The design of the artificial turf field will place the field in an optimized location so that others can consider constructing a track in the future."

This is blatant gaslighting, and a mistake for 3 reasons: 

1. Inclusion of a track in the planning stages will not effect the project timeline, and may lead to future efficiencies. 
2. The DNV has alluded to space for a 4-lane track, when a 6-lane track is possible. The definition of "optimized location" for the ATF is unclear and likely to limit future construction options. This is equivalent to leaving space for 2/3 of a tennis court, or 1/2 of an ice rink - nonsense, and a quiet guarantee that a track will never be fundraised and constructed at Handsworth. 
3. Prohibiting collaboration at this stage means that - if any track is feasible - Handsworth students will continue to be surrounded by construction, for years to come. 

Today, hundreds of elementary school students from North Vancouver are participating in our district track meet - at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. We are paying another district and travelling to use a facility that should exist on the North Shore. 

Please help us advocate for Track & Field in North Vancouver by doing the following: 

1. Sign and share this petition
2. Email the mayor and city councillors, and insist they engage with community Track & Field stakeholders now, so we may confirm FEASIBILITY and COST before ground is broken at Handsworth Secondary School in Summer/Fall 2025.
   1. Mayor@DNV.org 
   2. PopeC@DNV.org
   3. MahH@DNV.org
   4. BackJ@DNV.org
   5. MuriL@DNV.org
   6. ForbesB@DNV.org
   7. HansonJ@DNV.org

The community must speak now.