Vancouver lifeguard shortage not to blame for reduced West End pool hours, park board says
When opening hours at Second Beach Pool were expanded to begin at 7 a.m. last month, West End resident Jorge Amigo took advantage, swimming at the pool about three times a week before work.
“There is a lot of lane swimming happening, but there’s a lot less kids and chaos,” he said.
On Tuesday, his morning visit was cut short, when he noticed a sign on the front gate directing him to go to Kitsilano Pool instead.
“Kits Pool is definitely not a substitute for this pool because it’s not in my neighbourhood. It’s very far,” he said.
According to the Vancouver Park Board, the change of hours isn’t due to a lifeguard shortage. Rather, the hours at Second Beach were expanded because of a temporary closure at Kits Pool. With Kits Pool now open, Second Beach Pool has returned to its previous opening time: noon.
"The initial rationale behind using Second Beach Pool was to cover for the Kits Pool closure,” said park board chair Scott Jensen. "It sounds to me that we need to look in to the possibility of ensuring this pool is open for early morning swimmers.”
Jensen said he has received a number of complaints since the expanded hours at Second Beach Pool went away. He's directing park board staff to look into having the facility open early again.
“I stay in the city because there's amazing public amenities like public pools," said Amigo. "If these things keep getting clawed back and taken away, it makes life in an unaffordable city a little less worth it."
Jensen could not confirm a timeline for when or if hours could be re-expanded at Second Beach Pool this summer.
It’s a time change that could require additional lifeguard staff, something the park board has already struggled with this year.
Last weekend, the board posted online that Spanish Banks West and Sunset beaches were unguarded due to a lifeguard shortage.
The park board says it has 16 vacancies for lifeguard positions. It has roughly half as many auxiliary staff as its target number.
In Port Coquitlam, meanwhile, all lifeguard vacancies have been filled. The city has even over-hired five additional employees. According to Mayor Brad West, it has allowed the city expand its public pool hours.
“It’s no good having a bunch of outdoor pools if you can’t open them or they’re open on a very limited basis and people can’t use them because they aren’t staffed,” said West.
In Vancouver, the park board says it is actively working to hire additional lifeguards and launched marketing campaigns earlier this spring.
“This campaign resulted in all courses offered to train new lifeguards operating with full participation levels, and also has increased applications for lifeguard positions in Vancouver,” a spokesperson for the Vancouver Park Board told CTV News.
The cost of certain certification courses has also been reduced through Vancouver’s Leisure Access Program.
Indoor lifeguard positions pay from $25.21 to $29.63 per hour, while outdoor lifeguard positions start at $30.81 per hour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
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.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
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.
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.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.