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Wednesday Sept 13/06
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Waves ahead for aquarium expansion

The Vancouver Aquarium has hit a new snag in its attempt to expand the Stanley Park facility.

According to Aquarium president John Nightingale, the Aquarium was set to hold a public consultation process in conjunction with the Vancouver Parks Board, but at a meeting Monday night the parks board backed out of the process.

“What the park board said is: ‘You need to change your consultation process,’” Nightingale said.

“We spent all summer doing that and then last night they said ‘we don’t want the park board involved, do your own.’”

According to Nightingale, public views vary on the proposed expansion but all interested parties have supported public involvement.

Lifeforce Foundation spokesperson Peter Hamilton is concerned about the consultation process and the reasons for expansion.

“Give them bigger pools then they overcrowd those bigger pools with more animals,” Hamilton said, adding he wanted to see a consultation that “looks at both sides of the aquarium expansion issues.”

John Pigeon, 24 Hours

For further information: lifeforcesociety@hotmail.com