'Deeply unserious': Councillor criticizes Vancouver mayor's conversion of boardroom into gym

A Vancouver city councillor is calling out Mayor Ken Sim for apparently limiting access to a city hall boardroom and turning it into a makeshift gym.

Coun. Pete Fry posted to social media Tuesday, claiming a boardroom was "inexplicably expropriated for 'regular operations' by mayor office in January."

Fry included a screenshot of an email he said council received that month, which noted changes in meeting room usage.

"We have been advised by the mayor's office that they will be utilizing the ceremonial boardroom and the Grouse Room for regular operations of the mayor and his office team," the email said.

In his post, Fry claimed a door to one of the meeting rooms was left unlocked last week.

"It's now a gym?" his post said.

The post included a photo of the room, showing what looked like a Peloton bike and other gym apparatus.

"The deeply unserious and absolute absurdity of a civic asset being repurposed as Ken's mojo dojo casa house belies a very real problem (with) process, transparency and good governance that we continue to get stonewalled on," Fry wrote in a subsequent post.

Health 'crucial': Sim

In a statement to CTV News Vancouver, Sim acknowledged the space was being used for a gym and confirmed he'd purchased the equipment himself. Sim explained he'd moved back into the official mayor's office earlier this year, which he said is next to the boardroom now being used as a gym.

"The official mayor’s office shares a door with what was once a boardroom. Given the sensitive and confidential nature of the discussions that take place here, maintaining confidentiality is paramount," Sim's statement said. "To ensure privacy and efficiency, we relocated the boardroom to a larger, more central location for councillors. This new space not only offers better privacy for the mayor's office but also fosters a more conducive environment for meaningful discussions."

Sim said the room was turned into a gym space at that point, adding "health and well-being are crucial."

"This setup allows me to stay focused and energized amidst a demanding schedule," he said.

Fry told CTV News Vancouver Wednesday that he assumed the meeting space was being used to facilitate an increased number of staff.

"Finding out we were expropriated really for the only purpose of the mayor's personal gym and personal use altogether was disappointing," Fry said. "I won't lie, I was quite frustrated, because many of us have been forced to do more meetings off site as a result."

Fry said he doesn't begrudge the mayor using a gym, but said the use of this space "doesn't really seem appropriate."

"It's not for public use. It's not for other city staff. I don't have access to that door anymore. It's all under lock," he said. "Hey, physical fitness is a great thing. I could probably use some time in the gym myself, but the reality is this is taxpayer space. This is city business space. It's not personal-use space and that's my issue." 

Budget reallocation approved

Sim has faced criticism about his spending in recent weeks, after the mayor asked for more funding for his office. 

The mayor's 2024 budget is $1.47 million, one of the highest budgets compared to his predecessors. Earlier this month, his office asked council to divert $80,000 initially approved for the city clerk's office. According to a report from Paul Mochrie, city manager, the funds are for a new administrative role for the mayor who will help with scheduling and other related functions.

When asked earlier this month about the budget reallocation request, Sim said in a statement to CTV News that "council has hit the ground running with a clear mandate, including improving public safety, getting more housing built, clearing permit and project approval backlogs, and addressing crumbling infrastructure."

"To meet these challenges and get our city back on track, we've restructured how things are done in the mayor’s office, which has played an integral part in supporting our efforts on council," the statement said.

Sim's budget allocation request was approved on Tuesday with a 7-3 vote. Fry, Coun. Christine Boyle and Coun. Adriane Carr all voted against the motion.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Isabella Zavarise