June 28, 2024
Mount Pleasant Pool, Sunset Pool, Hastings Pool, and Oak Pool were closed with just as much of an impact on our citizens, but without as much international attention.
We do look forward to the delivery of the Marpole outdoor pool which has unfortunately been delayed as well. We hope that any temporary fix proposed for Kitsilano Pool will see us through until the new pool is ready to be built, and that there are no major failures at our only other two outdoor pools in the meantime.
Of course we hoped that since Mount Pleasant Pool had been prioritized and delayed for even longer (it was in two previous draft Capital Plans), that our elected City Councilors, Park Board Commissioners and staff would find ways to be creative and to fund it in this mid term capital plan update, finally making it a reality and not just a long drawn out promise.
We would like to emphasize the critical importance of providing this public outdoor swimming pool now. The planning, redesign, and building of Kitsilano Pool could take us several years to complete. To build something that is resilient to violent storm surges will be challenging. Consultation, planning and design for the new VAC could also take several years, and the costs of both of these projects are astronomical. We are proposing that the Mount Pleasant Pool
At a much lower cost than the future builds of Kitsilano and the VAC, it is possible to use the framework provided in the VanSplash Aquatic Strategy, with its clear and specific direction to build Mount Pleasant Pool, to mitigate further deterioration of our aquatic inventory at a time when outdoor swimming pools are needed more than ever.
Vancouver has over 1300 private backyard swimming pools, and 20% of these are in the Endowment Lands. The inner city has no public outdoor swimming pools. At some point water restrictions will prohibit filling backyard swimming pools and condo pools. Access to public swimming pools will be necessary and life saving.
Vancouver residents are suffering from the scarcity of public outdoor swimming pools (see the link to Comparison of Outdoor Pool numbers per population with other Canadian cities below) and the comparatively small investment made to build an outdoor pool off shore and protected from the risks of sea level rise and severe storm damage will help secure public benefit for many decades within the Climate Adaptation Strategy framework and the Vancouver Aquatic Strategy, among other Park Board policies specific to Mount Pleasant Pool.
Sept 17, 2023
Our booth at Car Free Day on Main Street in Vancouver
The end of summer weather was perfect and the street was packed with people from all over Vancouver.
We were able to talk to many people who stopped by our booth and it’s obvious from the enthusiasm for outdoor pools shown by our community that restoring the pool in Mount Pleasant Park is much wanted and needed.
Most often asked questions: Where’s the Pool and what happened to it ??
Thanks again to Mount Pleasant and Vancouver residents for showing your support !
Apr 12, 2023
Please, if you haven’t already done so, remember to Sign the Petition before leaving these pages!
Click Here to Sign The Petition
As of Monday September 16, 2024 12:56 pm 1772 supporters have signed the petition. (1128 online plus 644 on paper)
We need to show the new Park Board that our community still has the support of the thousands of members who have signed our petitions since 2009 (!) and who want the Mount Pleasant Park Pool back as well as restoring the goals set out in the Vancouver Park Board Aquatic Studies and Van Splash initiative supporting Outdoor Pools and making them part of this new Park Board’s agenda.
Apr 01, 2023
Vancouver is really missing out.
Summer is coming and Vancouver still has only 3 outdoor swimming pools left, all on the waterfront.
Hastings Community Park Pool, August 1961.
Hastings and Renfrew.
Mar 12, 2023
A six month swim season is very doable with the newer pools. Technology is improving all the time to make outdoor pools more efficient and less costly to operate.
It is time to drop the argument that outdoor swimming pools are only open for two months of the year and look ahead to serving the needs of Vancouver residents who spoke loud and clear through our largest aquatic study ever (VanSplash) in favour of more swimming opportunities and city wide access.
Outdoor Pools to offer “Hybrid Options” for 2023 in New West
From NEWWESTRECORD.CA
(re-posted from a post by Margery on our Facebook page, -Thanks Margery!)
Feb 13, 2023
From BC Government News:
B.C. Building Stronger Communities with $1 billion Growing Communities Fund
Good! Can we please add outdoor pools to the list of prospective recipients of the Growing Communities Fund?
Vancouver is already deficient in outdoor pools compared to other Canadian cities.
(re-posted from a post by Anita on our Facebook page, Thanks Anita!)
Oct 17, 2022
(excerpted from CBC News online: CBC News Kids Vote Results )
“The (Kids Vote) program, which the City of Vancouver initiated to familiarize kids with the democratic process, allowed children to fill out a ballot at advance polling stations.
Instead of choosing candidates, kids selected answers to four multiple-choice questions.
When asked how they like to spend their time in Vancouver, 45 per cent chose swimming at pools. Playing in parks and playground came in second at 32 per cent.”
Our Vancouver kids echo what we have known all along; that Vancouverites look to swimming and pools as a preferred form of healthy activity and recreation.
Let’s all send messages and feedback to the newly elected Park Board:
Park Board Commissioners Feedback
and the new City Council and Mayor:
Vancouver City Council and Mayor Feedback
to remind them to please be kind and build more swimming pools!
Oct 16, 2022
Vancouver has a newly elected Park Board that will be responsible for the maintenance and growth of Vancouver aquatics. We wish them the best, and we will continue to work enthusiastically with Park Board to support the maintenance and renewal of outdoor swimming pools. Let’s talk about extending the outdoor pool season through October!
Sign the Petition on Funding Mount Pleasant Pool
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE PETITION
Why is the Mount Pleasant Community Centre Association petitioning the Vancouver Park Board now?
Mount Pleasant Outdoor Pool was included in the Vancouver Park Board’s Aquatic Strategy in 2019, but is still not funded.
The Mount Pleasant Community Centre Association is petitioning the Vancouver Park Board and City of Vancouver to identify funding to build the pool by 2026.
Please read, sign, and share the petition if you support the return of outdoor swimming for thousands of people in Vancouver’s urban core. The host site may ask for a donation but it is NOT required in order to sign and show your support.
As of Monday, September 16, 2024 12:56 pm 1639 supporters have signed the petition. (995 online plus 644 on paper)
Please sign and share now! We need to show the newly elected Park Board and City Council that the community firmly supports a new Outdoor Pool!
SCAN QR ABOVE OR CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE PETITION
Our position and facts on the state of Pools in Vancouver:
Vancouver is deficient in outdoor swimming pools, and the summer of 2022 proved that once again with people lining up for several hours to get into a pool during a heat wave only to be turned away.
Residents have been waiting for the return of Mount Pleasant Outdoor Pool since the old pool was demolished in 2009. Funding for Marpole Pool was allocated in the previous Capital Plan, but sadly has now been deferred to a second phase of the redevelopment of Marpole /Oak Park.
The rebuilding of the pools continues to face challenges due to City funding shortfalls and ongoing staff opposition to funding pools even though funding for pools has been strongly supported through many public consultations and Park Board approved policies.
VSPOP fully supports rebuilding the pools that will give long term benefits to the broader community.
We hope to gain support from our elected representatives on Park Board and Council for reallocating and topping up capital funds and seeking funds from other levels of government, as per this motion tabled at the Park Board meeting held on June 27th:
Moved by Commissioner John Irwin:
D. THAT the Vancouver Park Board direct staff to explore reallocating $11.5 million of funds in the proposed 2023–2026 Capital Plan to facilitate the planning, design and building of the Mount Pleasant Pool; $5.5 million from converting parkland to healthy habitat; and $6 million from other sources of funding to be determined by staff.
In favour: Barker, Coupar, Giesbrecht, Irwin, Mackinnon Opposed: Demers, Dumont→CARRIED
As well as:
E. THAT the Park Board request Council for additional funding to complete the outdoor pool phase of the Marpole Community Centre renewal plan.
→CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
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A VSPOP thought for the day:
