Frequently asked questions
Provide safer and more comfortable pathways and connections throughout the park
Create welcoming spaces for gathering, play, culture, and relaxation
Improve access to nature and support everyday use
Renew park amenities so they continue to serve the community into the future
Smoother, more direct pathways through the park
Improved connections between amenities
Reduced slopes and barriers where possible
Seating and gathering areas designed with inclusive use in mind
A renewed playground that supports children of all abilities
Mount Pleasant Park Skate Spot (1.4km)
The Downtown Skateboard Plaza (1.5km)
China Creek South Skatepark (2km)
Neighbourhood need and park access
Available space and competing uses
Safety, comfort, and nearby amenities
Drainage, slope, and long-term maintenance
Why are we making improvements to Jonathan Rogers Park?
Jonathan Rogers Park serves two rapidly growing neighbourhoods, Mount Pleasant and Fairview, that have limited access to public green space. City-wide park analysis has identified this area as having one of the lowest amounts of park space per resident.
As population density continues to increase—particularly with long-term growth anticipated through the Broadway Plan—it’s important that existing parks are renewed to better meet community needs.
The improvements to Jonathan Rogers Park aim to:
These improvements align with VanPlay, the City’s long-term parks and recreation strategy, including its goal to renew and grow park assets.
What will happen to Elizabeth Rogers Community Garden?
The Elizabeth Rogers Community Garden, located in the northeast corner of the park, is a valued community space and will be retained.
The draft concept design has been developed to minimize impacts on the garden and nearby orchard trees, with careful consideration of access, sunlight, and the garden’s character. No changes are planned within the fenced garden area itself, and existing access routes will remain.
What will happen to the existing wading pool?
The former wading pool at Jonathan Rogers Park is no longer operational and will be removed as part of the playground renewal.
Many older wading pools across the city no longer meet modern health and safety standards and are being replaced over time with more sustainable and inclusive water play features. While a spray park is not currently proposed for this site, the draft concept includes a small cooling mister in the playground area.
Will the project impact the existing fieldhouse or washroom building?
No changes are planned to the existing fieldhouse and washroom building.
The project will focus on improving comfort, safety, and accessibility in the surrounding area to make it easier for people of all ages and abilities to reach and use the building.
Will the improvements impact the existing field and ball diamond?
The sports field and ball diamond will largely remain as open lawn areas for casual, spontaneous use.
As part of the City’s Sports Field Strategy (PDF, 9.1 MB), the ball diamond and field are no longer designated for permitted or booked sports use. The draft concept design maintains sufficient open space for informal recreation, relaxation, and community activities.
Will the site improvements impact any of the trees in the park?
Protecting mature trees is a key priority of the project. The concept design has been developed to retain existing trees wherever possible, with special care taken around the cedar grove in the southeast corner of the park.
An arborist assessment completed in 2025 identified some trees that are in poor condition. These trees are proposed to be removed and replaced. New tree planting is also planned to increase shade, improve comfort, and support the City’s climate and biodiversity goals.
Will the park still have open space for relaxing and socializing?
Yes. While improvements are focused on the eastern portion of the park, most of the existing open lawn areas will be maintained.
The project recognizes that flexible, open space is highly valued by the community. The draft concept balances new amenities with areas for sitting, gathering, and enjoying views, and includes improved seating, picnic features, and shaded areas.
Jonathan Rogers Park is part of the City’s Alcohol in Parks Program and will remain as an alcohol-permitted park. As part of the improvements, the location of the alcohol permitted area may be slightly adjusted to meet bylaw requirements near playgrounds and dog off-leash areas, while still maintaining welcoming spaces for social gatherings
How will the updates improve accessibility?
Improving accessibility is a key principle of the project. The draft concept focuses on:
The design follows inclusive design principles so that people of all ages and abilities can comfortably enjoy the park. Feedback from the public survey will help refine these improvements.
What happened to the potential skatepark planned for Jonathan Rogers Park?
In 2014, Jonathan Rogers Park was identified as a possible location for a new skatepark during conversations related to potential removal of the Mount Pleasant Park skate spot. Because the Mount Pleasant skate spot remained in place, the idea of adding a skatepark at Jonathan Rogers Park was not pursued further.
Since then, the context around Jonathan Rogers has changed. Over the past decade, the neighbourhood has grown with increased demand for a variety of park amenities.
During 2025 site analysis and feasibility work for the improvements at Jonathan Rogers Park, an experienced multi-disciplinary consulting team reviewed whether a skateboard amenity could be included alongside other high priority amenities. This review found that the park does not have enough space to accommodate both a skateboard amenity of effective size and the minimum sized dog off-leash area while also maintaining playground buffers, pathways, and open space.
A new skate spot is being considered as part of the future Burrard Slopes Park in the Fairview neighbourhood, subject to Park Board approval and will help address skateboarding needs in the Broadway Area. Also, a new skatepark is being planned for the Slocan Park Children and Youth Hub project anticipated to begin construction spring 2026 which will add new skateable terrain to Vancouver’s inventory.
The skateboard amenities closest to Jonathan Rogers Park include:
See the Vancouver Skateboard Amenities Strategy (PDF, 10.4 MB) to learn more.
Will the park still be used for special events?
Yes. Jonathan Rogers Park will continue to host a range of community events that fit the scale and character of the park.
The design prioritizes everyday park use while maintaining the flexibility needed for local events that bring people together.
How does the Broadway Plan relate to Jonathan Rogers Park?
Jonathan Rogers Park is located within the Broadway Plan area, which provides long-term direction for growth and public amenities along the Broadway corridor. The park improvements are informed by this long-range planning context and focus on responding to current park use while strengthening the park’s ability to support future residents, workers, and visitors.
Why is a dog off-leash area being added to Jonathan Rogers Park?
Mount Pleasant is one of the most underserved neighbourhoods in Vancouver for dog off-leash space and has one of the highest numbers of dogs per existing OLA (Off-Leash Area).
The People, Parks and Dogs Strategy (PDF, 6.0 MB) identifies this area as a high priority for new dog amenities. Adding an OLA helps address current demand while improving safety and comfort for both dog owners and other park users.
When locating and designing an OLA, the Park Board considers:
What surface will be used in the dog off-leash area?
The final surface will be determined during the detailed design phase based on direction in the City’s People, Parks and Dogs Strategy (PDF, 6.0 MB). The decision will consider factors such as durability, drainage, safety, accessibility, long‑term maintenance, and the trade‑offs associated with different surface types.
What improvements are planned for the playground?
The small, outdated playground will be replaced with a larger, updated playground in the same spot. The slope can be part of the fun, too, by adding a slide, ropes and boulders. Shade from the mature trees, plus mist from a misting tower, will keep things cool. Benches and picnic tables will provide convenient spots to sit and watch the fun.
The renewed playground at Jonathan Rogers Park will be designed to support children of all abilities, ages, and cultural backgrounds. The design will consider a wide range of elements, including equipment, surfacing, seating, sensory experiences, and supportive amenities. Feedback from the public as well as technical considerations will inform the specific equipment determined during the detailed design phase.