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CBC
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Swim fans ask city council to deny additional funding for Vancouver Aquatic Centre renewal
Swimming advocates unhappy with the plan to replace the 50-metre pool at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre (VAC) with one half the size are asking city council to reject the park board's request for $22.5 million in additional money to fund the renewal of the facility. Jeannie Lo, president of the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club and Swim B.C., said that before construction begins at the the West End facility near Sunset Beach, there needs to be follow-through on the commitment to build an Olympic-sized, 50-metre replacement pool somewhere else in the city. "Most of the users are resigned to the fact that a 50-metre pool will not be built on the current footprint of the VAC, but there has not been a prioritization of a replacement 50-metre pool elsewhere," said Lo. "So where is the plan for that pool?" In their letter to city council, Lo's group highlighted that both the city's 2023-26 capital plan and a plebiscite question that was approved by 77 per cent of municipal voters in 2022 only contemplated a 50-metre replacement pool for VAC. The letter goes on to say that when the design consultant public contract for the redevelopment was awarded, a "50-metre lap pool" was the top priority listed. "The consultants and the Park Board staff were given, and should have understood, the very clear priorities of the community. These priorities were dramatically changed without meaningful consultation with either the Park Board Commissioners or the community," reads the letter to Vancouver city council. The first public mention of a 25-metre pool came in February when it was revealed in the design proposal brought forward by city staff, sparking an outcry from the swimming community. The park board approved the design with the smaller pool on March 31, subject to city council agreeing to an additional $22.5 million for the project. WATCH | Dozens speak out against aquatic centre proposal: Dozens show up to Vancouver Park Board meeting on controversial aquatic centre 4 months ago Duration 1:44 Dozens of people lined up to speak at Monday night's Vancouver Park Board meeting over a controversial new aquatic centre. The proposed redesign would replace a 50-metre pool with one half that size. As Meera Bains reports, swim clubs and other users are upset with the plan and loss of training space. Park board chair Laura Christensen said if the additional funding isn't approved, the VAC renewal plan will be pushed back four to five years. "Work on the project would stop and everything would be put on hold," said Christensen. "If construction doesn't start in 2026, that money is lost and we'd have to go back to plebiscite to get that money passed." According to a staff report, a 50-metre pool configuration is not feasible at the site within the existing building footprint. "The recommended [design] program maintains or enhances all existing services (except the 50-meter pool) and offers more diverse programming opportunities," says the report. WATCH | 50-metre pool not feasible, staff report says: City staff say 50-metre pool at Vancouver Aquatic Centre impossible without more money 3 months ago Duration 10:21 In the latest twist to the saga of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre renovation, park board staff released a final report that went back to the 25-metre pool that was initially proposed. While park board commissioners had directed staff to try to include a 50-metre pool in the renovation, Green commissioner Tom Digby says that it would be impossible without at least $50 million in funds that the city has not provided. Lo said allocating additional funding to the 25-metre VAC design without a plan for a 50-meter pool somewhere else will be the death knell for the sport of swimming in the city. "What we would like as users is for the city and for the park board to maintain their promise of prioritizing a 50-metre pool. So if it cannot happen at the VAC, then let us know where it's going to happen before you proceed," she said. She said promises to accommodate 300 VAC club swimmers at Hillcrest pool near Queen Elizabeth Park doesn't make sense. "Our question is, how can this happen when Hillcrest is already over capacity?" City council will consider the additional funding request from the park board on Wednesday. If approved, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre renewal project will have a $175-million price tag, with the facility scheduled to shut down in 2026 and reopen sometime in 2029.
CBC
19-02-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Swim clubs push back against plan to shrink Vancouver Aquatic Centre pool
Social Sharing Fourteen-year-old Izzy Stack-Hunter swims at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre regularly. "There's nothing that makes me feel as happy and fulfilled," she told CBC News. For her, the pool is more than just a place to train, it's a second home. "Swimming is everything to me ... when I don't swim, I feel all icky, like I feel gross." The young swimmer is one of more than 350 members of the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club, which rents the pool for training. But now, a proposed redesign of the aquatic centre would see its 50-metre, Olympic-sized pool cut in half — a move that has ignited opposition and an ongoing petition from competitive swimmers like Stack-Hunter and her local swim club. The new proposal The Vancouver Park Board is set to vote on the staff-recommended proposal on Monday. It would see the existing pool — built in 1974 and described as being at "the end of its functional lifespan" — replaced with a new facility featuring a 25-metre lap pool, dive platforms, a leisure pool and other recreational amenities. When it first opened, the centre was a premier sporting venue in the densely populated West End, drawing swimmers, synchronized swimming teams, water polo players and divers for training and competitions. It continues to be in high demand for recreation programs and swimming lessons. However, a city staff report says the aging pool is no longer viable because it fails to meet modern seismic standards. The centre made headlines in March 2022 after a large piece of the facade of the building fell off overnight. Concerns over losing training space Jeannie Lo, president of the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club, says the potential loss of space is a major concern. "It would really displace a lot of our programs, and we're not sure where we would go," she said. "We potentially have to reduce our program significantly." Some professional athletes worry the move could weaken the long-term development of local aquatic sports. Hau-Li Fan, an Olympic open-water swimmer who trained at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, says losing a long-course, 50-metre pool could be detrimental for future competitors. "I would say those years I trained here really cemented my passion for the sport," he said. "In order to race at the Olympic level, top athletes around the world train in long-course pools." But Fan says Vancouver only has two such pools — the other at the University of B.C., which is not open to the public. Phil Skinder, director and head coach at the Pacific Swim Academy, says the city already has long wait-lists for swim programs, and closing the facility to reduce the pool's size will only exacerbate the problem. "So many children have not had access to lessons through the COVID shutdowns ... kids are not getting to learn how to swim," he said. Park board says new design is for changing needs Vancouver Park Board commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky says he understands the frustration. As a frequent swimmer himself, he says he will also feel the loss of a long-course pool. "I am disappointed that we don't get to have the pool." The commissioner says he has been advocating for the City of Vancouver to provide the funds needed to maintain the pool's current size. "I wish the city would put more money toward this project," he added. The aquatic centre redesign was initially budgeted at $140 million, but now requires an additional $30 million. Renovating the existing facility without scaling back its scope would be even more expensive, Bastyovanszky says. However, he says the new design, which includes a hot tub, sauna, steam room, leisure pool and fitness centre, caters to a broader demographic, particularly the city's aging population. "We expect the number of users to go up," he said, adding that the focus can't be solely on competitive swimmers. In a statement, the City of Vancouver said it is working with the park board on planning the renewal of the aquatic centre. "The recommended renewal option supports diverse programming," it said.
