Kits pool, thought to be closed all summer, now scheduled to reopen Aug. 7, mayor says

Vancouver’s beloved Kitsilano Pool will be open to the public this summer after all, according to Mayor Ken Sim.

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, which manages the facility, had previously said it would be closed for summer.

At a news conference Friday, Sim said the beachside, saltwater pool – which he described as “the most iconic pool on the planet” – will open Aug. 7, as long as there are no major setbacks to repair efforts.

Ahead of Friday’s announcement, the mayor posted a photo of the pool on social media, teasing “big news” to come.

Late last month, city councillors unanimously approved a motion committing to “an urgent process to reimagine and replace the pool.”

The motion came in response to the park board’s announcement that Kits pool would not be opening this summer, given that off-season repairs were unable to stop it from leaking a significant amount of water.

A report to the park board in December of 2023 estimated the pool was leaking 30,000 litres of water every hour. Significant water leakage means the pool’s chemicals can’t be balanced, according to the park board, which makes the pool unsafe for swimmers.

City council’s motion, brought forward by Sim and Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung, directed city staff to work with the park board to develop plans for a new pool and identify government funding sources.

It also asked staff to look beyond the public purse and consider establishing and publicizing a dedicated fund “for the public, corporate and philanthropic sectors to contribute and donate” to replace Kits pool.

Corporate sponsorship was another option suggested in the motion, and has been part of a push by Sim and his ABC Vancouver party to add to the city’s infrastructure budget by selling naming rights to city assets.

Vancouver has already announced a deal for Freedom Mobile to have the naming rights to the new PNE amphitheatre when it opens in 2026. The value of that sponsorship deal has not been made public.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Ben Nesbit

This is a developing story. Check back for updates