OUR Park
Not FIFA’s Field 

Much of Memorial South Park will be closed to the public in January 2025 and will remain closed for 18 months to 2 years while the field in the oval is being prepared for use as a practice field for the FIFA 2026 games, June 11 - July 19, 2026. 
We are concerned about the length of time this project will take and how it will impact the community. We will lose access to our:

field within the oval
running/walking track 
clubhouse
children’s playground
cenotaph
43rd Avenue connection to the Windsor bike path

Other impacts: 

At least 12 trees are slated for removal to accommodate this temporary event, despite the fact that some have been deemed healthy.
Our running track will be permanently reduced from six to four lanes.
The playground will be demolished and apparently replaced, but we don’t know when or where.
We are not sure if the cricket pitch will be reinstated in the renovated field. 
There may be other impacts of which we are not aware, like restricted access to other areas of the park and noise from construction. 

This is a well-used park. The loss of these spaces for this length of time is unacceptable, as is the lack of transparency regarding the impacts on the people who live in the area. Although the decision to nominate our park was made as early as 2018, the FIFA World Cup 26 Secretariat, City Hall and Vancouver Park Board have not shared any information about this project with our community. We believe that if the people in this neighbourhood had been asked if they wanted a FIFA field, with full disclosure of what losing these vital spaces for as long as two years would mean, the response would have been a resounding NO. 
This petition calls for the City of Vancouver and FIFA World Cup 26 to find an alternate venue for this practice field, one that will not impact so many people for such an extended period of time. Organizers should consider utilizing existing venues which would help reduce the already substantial cost over-runs for this event. 
If you are a resident of BC and you agree, please sign this petition. 
Signed,
Friends of Memorial South Park

Questions and concerns may be directed to:

FIFA World Cup 26 Vancouver <fwc26@vancouver.ca> 

Vancouver Mayor and Councillors 
https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-council.aspx 

The Vancouver Parks Board 
https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-park-board.aspx

For more information, please visit: 

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/5955-ross-st (Click on ‘landscape’ under ‘application documents’ on the right margin.) 
https://www.vancouverfwc26.ca/news/vancouver-announces-locations-for-the-fifa-world-cup-26-tm-training-sites   
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/highlights/vancouver-and-bc-government-officials-met-last-fall-with-fifa-but-most-details-are-secret-8372951
https://thebreaker.news/business/vancouver-fifa-secretariat/
https://www.biv.com/news/entertainment-media-sports/secrecy-surrounds-vancouver-2026-world-cup-security-plans-8443479

Friends of South Memorial Park