'Let's stop stalling': Vancouver neighbourhood to get long-awaited outdoor pool
An outdoor pool promised for more than a decade is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The issue was heavily discussed during Monday night’s Vancouver Park Board meeting as commissioners considered the upcoming capital budget.
Originally, the Mount Pleasant outdoor pool was not part of the proposed 2023-26 capital plan, but that changed by the end of the four-hour-long meeting.
The previous outdoor pool was shut down in 2009 after operating for 44 years. Residents were promised a new pool, but years later, it still hasn't been built.
Between 2010 to 2021, the board passed several resolutions to build a new pool but the project never went ahead.
“We’ve been fighting for this to be replaced for years. It’s been a long struggle,” said speaker Helen Fielding, a former lifeguard and swimming instructor who wants a neighbourhood pool for her grandchildren.
According to staff reports, a new pool would cost between $15 million and 20 million.
“It’s relatively a small amount…it’s 0.57 per cent of the total city capital plan, 3.5 per cent of the total park board capital budget, ” said Anita Romaniuk, a former park board commissioner who was speaking on behalf of with the Mount Pleasant Community Centre Association.
The pool was clearly a contentious issue as several speakers voiced their strong opposition, citing concerns that green space would be taken away, beliefs the money could be used to fund other projects and concerns about traffic congestion.
“It’s heartbreaking to imagine this beautiful park have this concrete whatever design, that’s not going to be used for most of the year, be a giant eyesore,” said Patrick Crossmen, a resident in the neighbourhood.
During public engagement, 35 people were opposed while 29 people supported it.
After hearing from the speakers, the Commissioner John Irwin added an amendment to explore reallocating $11.5 million of the funds in the capital plan to facilitate the planning, design and building of the Mount Pleasant pool. It passed 5:2.
“It’s time for us to stop saying, ‘Just be patient.’ Let’s stop stalling, let’s finally do it,” said Commissioner Tricia Barker.
On the topic of pools, Commissioner Dave Demers also added an amendment to request council for additional funding to complete the outdoor pool for Marpole Community Centre. That amendment passed unanimously.
Another issue brought up is that funding was diminished from the sports field strategy, which saw about $11 million allocated in the past capital budget and dropped to $3.8 million in the upcoming budget.
After hearing from coaches, volunteers and young soccer players, the board voted unanimously to request city council find $7.7 million in funding to build, upgrade and expand outdoor sports field facilities.
In the four-year capital plan, $208 million will go towards funding parks and open spaces, $329 million is dedicated to recreation facilities and $2 million is earmarked for service yards, for a total of $539 million.
The plan now goes to council for approval.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.