A fight over the future of one of Vancouver’s most iconic recreation facilities is heating up.
A community group says newly uncovered documents raise serious questions about how key decisions were made on the upcoming redevelopment of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre.
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Jon Girard, the director of the Protect Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society, swam at the aquatic centre for close to a decade. He says internal documents obtained through a legal agreement suggest senior city staff may have interfered with the project, steering the design toward a smaller pool.
According to the documents, consultants were originally studying several design options, including ones that would keep a competition-sized pool. Critics also argue the shift contradicts what many voters believed they were approving during Vancouver’s 2022 civic election plebiscite.
The aquatic centre is slated for a $175 million retrofit near the end of this year. This would see the 50-metre pool downsized to 25 metres, a possibility that has sparked outrage from the swimming community.
“It’s the only facility in the city of Vancouver that’s a dedicated 50-metre pool,” Girard said.
“[City staff have] identified that this new pool they are building will not meet the needs of the community in the future.”
In response, the City of Vancouver said the project is moving ahead with the 25-metre pool design because it was previously approved by the Vancouver Park Board, citing physical construction constraints at a meeting in February of last year.
Girard has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for legal costs and is planning to ask the B.C. Supreme Court to review the planning process.
“If needed, we’ll also be looking into and filing injunctive relief, as well, to prevent the build from going forward.”
The fundraiser is less than $4,000 shy of its $55,000 goal.
Commissioner Scott Jensen is tabling a motion at Monday’s Park Board meeting to invite Vancouver’s auditor general to do a performance audit of the city’s recommendations for the aquatic centre.
