Kitsilano Pool will not be opening alongside other pools on May 18, and the Vancouver Park Board has some disappointing news for Kits enthusiasts.
Vancouver’s first swim times were set to commence on May 18, with registration to begin on May 15 at noon.
However, Kits Pool will not be among the pools you can register for due to some “unforeseen repairs.”
“We regret that Kitsilano Pool will not open on May 18,” the Vancouver Park Board says.
Daily Hive Urbanized reported in April that, thanks to an “interim fix,” the pool could have opened in May.
Construction crews were to replace the pool’s membrane to complete the minimal repairs required to enable the pool to reopen for the Victoria Day long weekend in late May. However, this membrane work is highly weather-dependent, as it requires two weeks of overnight temperatures reaching double digits and dry weather for the sealing to cure.
According to a notice from the Vancouver Park Board, consistent and dry weather needed to make repairs “only arrived recently,” leading to the delay in the board’s ability to open the pool at the same time as Second Beach and New Brighton.
“Kitsilano pool is more than 50 years old and in its end-of-life phase with many failing and deteriorating components, including the membrane, expansion joints and the concrete structure, which has added complexity to maintenance, repair, and preparation for opening. It has also sustained substantial damage from storms over the years,” the park board says.
It likely won’t be open any time soon, either, as repairs to the pool will continue over the “coming weeks,” with hopes of having the pool open in early June.
“We recognize that the pool holds a special place in the hearts of Vancouverites as an iconic facility, synonymous with summer,” the park board adds.
Alongside the openings of New Brighton and Second Beach pools, lifeguards will be in attendance at the swimming areas of the following beaches beginning May 18:
- English Bay
- Jericho
- Kitsilano
- Locarno
- Spanish Banks East and West
- Sunset
- Second
- Third
Find out more information about swimming times here.
Information bulletin: Vancouver Parks and Rec gets ready to take the plunge with another outdoor pool and beach season: https://t.co/C0nxi02VbH pic.twitter.com/ZbBICZGkLw
— Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (@ParkBoard) May 10, 2024
Were you looking forward to seeing Kits Pool opening in time for the swimming season? Let us know in the comments.
With files from Kenneth Chan