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Vancouver park board hears shocking pool report, with its own future also in jeopardy
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The Vancouver park board has received a shocking update on the condition of the city’s treasured Kitsilano Pool, learning the aged waterfront asset is leaking 30,000 litres of water every hour.
Making matters worse, engineers have no idea where the leaks are.
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“This is a devastating report on Kits pool,” said Commissioner Tom Digby following the presentation. “We are at the end of the line.”
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The park board heard that the upgrades performed in 2018 were expected to significantly extend the lifetime of the salt water pool, but extensive damage from the January 2020 tidal surge and rainstorm had reversed much of that work.
The report stated the pool has exceeded its expected useful life, noting a fire earlier this year had destroyed the attached Kits Showboat facility.
The pool area was developed in 1931 to allow salt water to come in and out of the pool with the tide. It was rebuilt in 1979 with a new water circulation, pump and heating system, followed by the extensive 2018 improvements.
The park board heard that the pool is now cracked with rising slabs and that it was leaking 30,000 litres an hour of water through the recirculation pipes — with the exact location of the leaks unknown.
Initial scoping indicates several instances of pipe shearing and breakage.
“We cannot confirm exactly where the all of the leaking water from Kits Pool is going, but some does eventually make its way to the ocean,” a parks board spokesperson said on Tuesday night.
“The exact pathways of leaks are still being explored with additional investigations underway. While the pool is in operation, de-chlorination tablets are added daily to prevent deleterious material from entering the environment.”
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There is no money in this year’s capital budget to further repair the 137-metre pool, with staff recommending a feasibility study be prepared with the 2027-2030 capital budget in mind.
The Kitsilano Pool is the busiest in the city, with visits from 190,000 swimmers in 2018. In 2023, during a shortened season, the pool hosted 120,000 swimmers.
Monday’s park board meeting was the first since Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim revealed his goal to do away with the park board and let the city run it instead. This would mean the city would be entirely responsible for all pools, golf courses and parks in the city.
Currently, the park board works with the City of Vancouver’s real estate, environment and facilities management department to operate the pool.
That department is responsible for managing the planning and delivery of capital maintenance for the pool, based on what is identified by the park board.
The park board is responsible for day-to-day operation of the pool, including lifeguarding, administration, and regular facility cleaning.
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dcarrigg@postmedia.com
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