The intrusive temporary repairs performed on Kitsilano Pool may be sufficient to enable the popular outdoor swimming facility to operate for more seasons until plans for a permanent replacement pool are implemented.
“Realistically, the pool is in a much better situation, but it is still an end of life asset. The fact that we are looking at reimagining what Kits Pool will be and getting a new pool, but that is some years away, and we’re just keeping it going as long as we can,” Carrie Hughes, director of facilities management and operational excellence for the City of Vancouver, told Vancouver Park Board commissioners during a public meeting on Monday.
“We do expect [the repairs] to last quite an extensive amount of time,” she added.
Following the January 2022 storm and king tide that significantly damaged the seaside pool, the municipal government spent $3.5 million assessing the structure’s damage and performing repairs between 2022 and 2024. This included $3 million allocated in 2024 from the mid-term budget update to enable the pool’s mid-summer reopening.
“When you look at the investment, it’s under $4 million, and that’s to keep the pool running until we are able to reimagine what the new pool is. So the investment, I think, is worthwhile, to do the repairs and maintenance,” continued Hughes.
Initial Spring 2024 upgrades on the pool membrane, structure, and pipes were insufficient to reduce the water leakage, which increased to over 1.8 million litres per day, mostly seawater. As the water levels could not be adequately controlled, it was impossible to balance pool chemicals to enable safe swimming, which led to Vancouver Coastal Health initially denying the operating permit for the pool’s planned May opening.
After the $3 million in funding was freed up to enable more intrusive temporary repairs, the water loss decreased significantly, allowing the pool to reopen on August 7.
Kitsilano Pool refilled on July 28, 2024, following interim repairs. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
Kitsilano Pool refilled on July 28, 2024, following interim repairs. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
According to the Park Board, over 59,000 visited Kitsilano Pool during its truncated 2024 operating season of 48 days from August 7 to September 22, which includes the extended operating season period after Labour Day to help make up for a part of this year’s late opening. The pool averaged over 1,500 visitors per day up until the week of Labour Day, but it dropped to about 500 to 600 visitors per day from September 9 to 22.
In contrast, during the pool’s slightly truncated 2023 operating season, which lasted 93 days from June 4 to September 4, there were a total of 135,581 visitors, for a daily average of 1,458.
Following the pool’s closure for the season in late September, the Park Board began a second phase of repairs to the pipes, plumbing, and membrane, which is expected to continue through November as weather permits. The work this fall is part of the mid-term allocated $3 million budget.
Currently, after conducting a request for proposals (RFP) bidding process, the municipal government is preparing to award a contract to a consultant to perform a feasibility study to identify potential options for building a brand new pool in the area that is resilient to rising sea levels, storms, and the changing needs of the community. The municipal government has set aside $2 million for this study, which is being expedited to speed up the overall process of achieving a new facility.
The current 137-metre-long pool structure was built in 1979, replacing the original pool, which was completed in 1931 on the same footprint.
According to the RFP, the study area for the feasibility study will span a much larger area in the park beyond the pool’s existing footprint — the entire area framed by Balsam Street to the west, Cornwall Street to the south, Arbutus Street to the east, and the sandy beach area to the north, including the open grassy areas, tennis courts, and surface vehicle parking lot. This will enable the exploration of a range of siting options based on optimal geotechnical conditions, such as potentially building a new pool further away from the shoreline to reduce the risk of future high tide flooding and storm damage.
Study area for the replacement project for Kitsilano Pool. (Vancouver Park Board)
The feasibility study is expected to reach completion in the second quarter of 2025, with a target of approving the strategic strategy for building a new Kitsilano Pool by the end of 2025. The intention is to incorporate the pool replacement project in the City’s upcoming 2026-2030 capital plan.
During Monday’s public meeting, it was suggested that due to the push to prioritize and expedite the pool replacement project, a significant portion of the cost would need to be funded through debt financing.
Green Party commissioner Tom Digby suggested the new Kitsilano Pool could carry a cost well over $100 million, based on the recent cost precedents set for other new major aquatic facilities in the region.
Under the Vancouver Charter, the municipal government is required to hold a plebiscite seeking public approval to borrow money for capital expenditures. Such plebiscites are typically held by incorporating it into the civic election ballots.
In the 2022 civic election, Vancouver voters overwhelmingly approved the three plebiscite questions related to debt financing for capital projects, enabling the City to borrow up to $495 million. This includes the plebiscite question of borrowing $162 million for new and improved community and recreational centres, including $103 million specifically toward building a brand new replacement Vancouver Aquatic Centre at Sunset Beach in downtown Vancouver’s West End.
For the specific plebiscite question on enabling debt financing for the new Vancouver Aquatic Centre, it was approved by 101,175 “Yes” votes over the 47,163 “No” votes.
The new Vancouver Aquatic Centre, which is also being expedited due to the aging and poor condition of the existing facility, has a total budget of $140 million, according to the City’s 2023-2026 capital plan. In September 2023, the City selected Revery Architecture to design the new Vancouver Aquatic Centre, with the design work expected to reach completion by the end of 2024 and construction starting in 2026. This puts completion and opening of the new pool for downtown Vancouver towards the end of the decade.
In order to expedite the replacement of Kitsilano Pool, the 2026 civic election ballot could potentially include a plebiscite question seeking permission to borrow money to fund a major portion of the project’s cost.
Kitsilano Outdoor Pool closed due to leaks. (Claire Fenton/Daily Hive)