Swim fans ask city council to deny additional funding for Vancouver Aquatic Centre renewal

2 week_ago 10

British Columbia

Vancouver Aquatic Centre users proceed to talk retired against the astonishment program to regenerate the 50-metre swimming excavation successful downtown Vancouver with 1 fractional the size.

Swim radical wants promised 50-metre excavation prioritized earlier much wealth goes to redesign they opposed

Karin Larsen · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 17, 2025 2:37 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 17

An aerial changeable of a brown-roofed building, with water and skyscrapers successful the background.

Swimming advocates unhappy with the program to regenerate the 50-metre excavation astatine the Vancouver Aquatic Centre (VAC) with 1 fractional the size are asking metropolis assembly to cull the parkland board's petition for $22.5 million in further wealth to money the renewal of the facility.

Jeannie Lo, president of the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club and Swim B.C., said that earlier operation begins astatine the the West End facility near Sunset Beach, determination needs to beryllium follow-through connected the committedness to physique an Olympic-sized, 50-metre replacement excavation determination other successful the city.

"Most of the users are resigned to the information that a 50-metre excavation volition not beryllium built connected the existent footprint of the VAC, but determination has not been a prioritization of a replacement 50-metre excavation elsewhere," said Lo. "So wherever is the program for that pool?"

In their missive to metropolis council, Lo's radical highlighted that some the city's 2023-26 superior program and a plebiscite question that was approved by 77 per cent of municipal voters successful 2022 lone contemplated a 50-metre replacement excavation for VAC.

The missive goes connected to accidental that erstwhile the plan advisor nationalist contract for the redevelopment was awarded, a "50-metre thigh pool" was the top priority listed.

A pistillate with brownish hair, dressed successful a achromatic overgarment stands extracurricular a building.

"The consultants and the Park Board unit were given, and should person understood, the precise wide priorities of the community. These priorities were dramatically changed without meaningful consultation with either the Park Board Commissioners oregon the community," reads the missive to Vancouver metropolis council.

The archetypal nationalist notation of a 25-metre excavation came successful February when it was revealed successful the plan connection brought guardant by metropolis staff, sparking an outcry from the swimming community.

The parkland committee approved the plan with the smaller excavation connected March 31, taxable to metropolis assembly agreeing to an additional $22.5 million for the project.

WATCH | Dozens talk retired against aquatic centre proposal:

Dozens amusement up to Vancouver Park Board gathering connected arguable aquatic centre

Dozens of radical lined up to talk astatine Monday night’s Vancouver Park Board gathering implicit a arguable caller aquatic centre. The projected redesign would regenerate a 50-metre excavation with 1 fractional that size. As Meera Bains reports, aquatics clubs and different users are upset with the program and nonaccomplishment of grooming space.

Park committee seat Laura Christensen said if the further backing isn't approved, the VAC renewal program volition beryllium pushed backmost 4 to 5 years.

"Work connected the task would halt and everything would beryllium enactment connected hold," said Christensen. "If operation doesn't commencement successful 2026, that wealth is mislaid and we'd person to spell backmost to plebiscite to get that wealth passed."

According to a unit report, a 50-metre excavation configuration is not feasible astatine the tract within the existing gathering footprint.

"The recommended [design] programme maintains oregon enhances each existing services (except the 50-meter pool) and offers much divers programming opportunities," says the report.

WATCH | 50-metre excavation not feasible, unit study says:

City unit accidental 50-metre excavation astatine Vancouver Aquatic Centre intolerable without much money

In the latest twist to the saga of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre renovation, parkland committee unit released a last study that went backmost to the 25-metre excavation that was initially proposed. While parkland committee commissioners had directed unit to effort to see a 50-metre excavation successful the renovation, Green commissioner Tom Digby says that it would beryllium intolerable without astatine slightest $50 cardinal successful funds that the metropolis has not provided.

Lo said allocating further backing to the 25-metre VAC plan without a program for a 50-meter excavation determination other volition beryllium the decease knell for the athletics of swimming successful the city.

"What we would similar arsenic users is for the metropolis and for the parkland committee to support their committedness of prioritizing a 50-metre pool. So if it cannot hap astatine the VAC, past fto america cognize wherever it's going to hap earlier you proceed," she said.

She said promises to accommodate 300 VAC nine swimmers astatine Hillcrest pool near Queen Elizabeth Park doesn't make sense.

"Our question is, however tin this hap erstwhile Hillcrest is already implicit capacity?"

City assembly volition see the further backing petition from the parkland committee connected Wednesday.

If approved, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre renewal task volition person a $175-million terms tag, with the installation scheduled to unopen down in 2026 and reopen sometime successful 2029.