Mayor Ken Sim wants to explore raising money to replace Kitsilano Pool

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A motion is going before Vancouver city council next week to “reimagine and replace” the city’s busiest swimming pool, Kitsilano Pool. But some regular users say they would rather see it fixed.

“At about 50 years old, and having sustained storm damage to the structure, Kits Pool is now at the end of its service life, with many components failing, deteriorating, and in need of significant repairs and/or complete replacement,” reads the motion put forward by Mayor Ken Sim and Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung.

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The motion recommends the city establish plans to raise funds from corporations and philanthropists to cover capital costs of a “new, modernized replacement pool.”

If rebuilt, the new pool will be part of an outdoor aquatics facility that’s “more resilient to climate change, storm and storm impact,” the motion states. It could come with new amenities such as whirlpools and steam baths.

However, some regular users of the pool say they’re reluctant to give much credence to the ABC party politicians’ motion.

Kitsilano resident Eric Kapp, who grew up swimming at the pool, said he would rather see the pool fixed than replaced.

“Vancouver tears down so many old buildings and I think in so doing, loses a lot of the old character and charm of the city — I think we should keep the old pool and repair it,” the 64-year-old said.

Karen Segal, who was a regular at the pool, says whichever plan gets the outdoor facility up-and-running the fastest is the city’s best course of action. The Kitsilano resident thinks that would likely be making repairs to the pool, as replacing it would be “a long, drawn-out process, and a very expensive one.”

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On the other hand, Segal noted that previous repairs conducted on the pool have taken much longer than anticipated.

“It took until the start of outdoor pool season (this year) to decide that the pool wouldn’t be opening,” Segal said.

Laurence Keane, who first learned to swim at the Kitsilano pool when he was a child, agrees that time is the most important factor of the plan.

“How long will we not have an outdoor Kits Pool until the new one is actually usable? In other words, will I live to see it?” questioned the 74-year-old.

Local Elvira Lount said Sim’s motion should have come from the park board, which has committed to conducting a feasibility study on some options for the future of the pool, though funding for it hasn’t been secured.

“It appears as if the mayor is trying to once again assert his authority over the park board and control its agenda,” Lount said. 

Recently a decision was made to close the 137-metre-long, heated, saltwater pool for the entire summer.

“Despite investments, membrane renovation work completed in 2018 in response to sustained damage, and further repair work over the past year during the off-season, Kits Pool continues to leak millions of gallons of water daily, and therefore pool chemicals cannot be kept in proper balance to meet established public health standards,” the motion states.

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The motion also instructs city staff to compile a report by the end of next month outlining “all measures that can be taken to sustain the ongoing use of the existing Kits Pool” before a new pool is constructed, including identifying various ways to fund the repairs.

In the interim, staff are in the process of repairing the underground piping and basin and installing a custom liner to extend the life of the pool.

The park board has previously said that to make up for the loss of the use of Kits Pool it will be extending operating hours at Second Beach Pool throughout the summer.

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sgrochowski@postmedia.com

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