Funding for controversial new 25-metre West End pool approved by Vancouver City Council

Vancouver City Council set to decide on controversial new 25-metre West End pool

South Vancouver is being heard as swimming pool hopes surface

Park Board to proceed with smaller 25-metre pool for new Vancouver Aquatic Centre after all

Park Board staff repeat recommendation for smaller pool at new Vancouver Aquatic Centre

Big backlash over smaller pool plan for new Vancouver Aquatic Centre sparks petition

Vancouver Park Board dissolution still being considered by B.C. government, but timing uncertain

The project is largely funded by a $103-million loan approved by Vancouver voters in a plebiscite question on the October 2022 civic election ballot, with the legal stipulation that contract awards and construction must occur before the end of 2026. If this deadline is missed, it would have to go to voters again in another plebiscite question, likely in the October 2026 civic election, with the construction timeline also pushed.

However, over the past weeks and months, Park Board staff and their contracted architectural teams determined that a 50-metre pool designed to modern standards and specifications would require more land area and cost significantly more, perhaps by as much as an additional $100 million. The time-intensive process to redesign the project, conduct geotechnical and archaeological work on a larger footprint, and seek the provincial government’s approval to expand the footprint would potentially miss the plebiscite’s legally-mandated deadline to advance the project by the end of next year.

The controversy over the project centres not over the estimated high cost, previously pegged at $140 million, but the design’s inclusion of the 25-metre, eight-lane swimming pool, as opposed to the 50-metre, eight-lane swimming pool highlighted in the plebiscite — to replace Vancouver Aquatic Centre’s existing Olympic-sized pool.

Over the last few months, swim clubs and other groups that use the existing facility have fiercely opposed the Park Board’s plan over concerns that this would pose an existential crisis for their organizations, including the displacement of many youth who train and swim competitively.

As well, there are very few alternative 50-metre pools in Metro Vancouver; the only other 50-metre pool within Vancouver is at Hillcrest Centre.

When asked, Jackson said based on the Park Board’s legal team’s analysis on the plebiscite’s implications, the Park Board and City would not be exposed to any legal challenges resulting from the decision to move forward with the 25-metre pool.

“The failure of this structure is imminent”

The safety risks associated with extending the lifespan of the existing 1974-built facility to reconsider and redesign the project for a 50-metre pool was also emphasized.

City staff noted that the very first seismic code requirements were introduced into the B.C. Building Code in 1973, when the facility was already in the process of being built. This means the existing facility, built on the shoreline at Sunset Beach Park, does not have any seismic considerations.

Seismic codes established in 1973 are now deemed to be highly insufficient, with various subsequent code changes — including the 2023 changes — establishing much more rigorous designs that take into account B.C.’s complex geological risks.

“The failure of this structure is imminent,” said City staff.

As well, the new replacement Vancouver Aquatic Centre project has been expedited since a March 2022 incident, when a section of an exterior wall near the main entrance into the existing facility collapsed — a clear sign of the 1974-built facility’s poor condition and accelerating deterioration.

“Stuck between a rock and a hard place”

According to Park Board staff, the recommended design of a 25-metre pool meets the greatest needs of all users and maintains or improves most of the facility’s programming. This new facility also includes a leisure pool with a beach entry and lazy river, a deep diving pool with two towers enabling diving platforms of various heights up to 10 metres, a large hot pool, steam and sauna rooms, a small spectator seating area, and a fitness gym.

It was also shared during today’s deliberations that to date, the Park Board has already spent $4.3 million on the design and planning work for the project with a 25-metre pool, including on the contracted work by Acton Ostry Architects and MJMA Architecture and Design.

Ultimately, City Council unanimously approved the funding request, with Green Party councillor Pete Fry abstaining from the vote due to a conflict of interest.

Independent councillor Rebecca Bligh made remarks noting that her vote in support would be cast begrudgingly, and directly addressed the nearly dozen public speakers — including young competitive swimmers — who appeared before Council in a final attempt to sway the decision.

“I grew up also competing in swim teams and recognize that in Vancouver, but elsewhere, I just recognize the importance of a 50-metre pool,” said Bligh.

“We’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. I’m not in favour of not having a 50-metre pool, and that’s a difficult vote to cast because I get the need for the renewal of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. The timing is not lining up and the cost to professional sports. And look, we talk about this pool being for families. There are young kids that came and spoke to Council today. The competitive swimming is for young families. Competitive swimming is for kids.”

Swim clubs to be temporarily relocated to Hillcrest Centre

To mitigate the impacts, says Jackson, the 50-metre pool at Hillcrest Centre, which already sees heavy use, would become the temporary replacement home for the swim clubs displaced by Vancouver Aquatic Centre’s demolition and redevelopment with a 25-metre pool.

Currently, the primary 50-metre, eight-lane tank inside Hillcrest Centre is usually divided into two 25-metre pools using the movable bulkheads to enable different programming and user groups. It is typically used for general leisure and recreational uses.

“We do believe, and through our analysis, that we can accommodate a substantial proportion of the time they currently use at Vancouver Aquatic Centre in the same rental program approach that they have today,” Jackson told City Council today, with regards to how Hillcrest Centre can accommodate the swim clubs.

To open up further rental time at Hillcrest Centre for the swim clubs and other groups that require a 50-metre pool, Jackson also previously noted that the Park Board could relocate the current leisure swimming periods, Aquafit sessions, swim lessons, and other activities that do not require a 50-metre pool to other pool locations in the city.

“The fact that there is capacity for 50-metre swimming at Hillcrest is a comfort, but clearly we have to go a lot further,” said ABC city councillor Mike Klassen.

“We do not run the Park Board. These decisions are made by our Park Board, but we are here with dollars that if we do not advance the funding at this point, it risks a delay for other members of the community as well, who would be very interested in being a part of a modernized Vancouver Aquatic Centre.”

The swim club use of Hillcrest Centre is intended to be a years-long temporary measure, until the City builds a yet-to-be-planned new major aquatic centre with a 50-metre pool. Earlier this month, Park Board commissioners approved a member motion by ABC commissioner Jaspreet Virdi to explore building a 50-metre pool somewhere in South Vancouver. Based on the City’s capital plan timelines, such a facility could be achieved in the 2030s at the very earliest.

When asked today, following the suggestions made by the swim clubs and public speakers, City staff said they will explore the potential feasibility of building a temporary modular 50-metre pool to accommodate the displaced groups, but noted the challenges of finding the large footprint required, such as an available surface parking lot.

“While the City of Vancouver has a lot of infrastructure needs, we currently still have an independent elected Park Board. I think this is a good example of why functionally sometimes this construct is challenging because we can’t necessarily squash the decisions of the Park Board, but we are also the parent that provides the funding,” said ABC city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, highlighting that City Council approves the Park Board’s budget and major project expenditures.

“So it’s a very nonsensical construct in a sense, but regardless, I think that we do have an opportunity in the upcoming capital plan to look at advancing the motion that was done to look at the exploration of a 50-metre pool in South Vancouver.”

The project is expected to return to City Council in 2026 to meet the legally required plebiscite deadline, when approval for awarding the construction contract will be needed.

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