Those with fond memories of the pool say they want it back, citing the need for swimming lessons and the lack of similar facilities in Vancouver. In 2009, after more than 40 years of operation, the pool was closed and filled to make way for an expanded playground, basketball court, skate park, community garden and parking lot. In late June, Vancouver’s park board voted to reallocate $11.5 million of the $539 million budget in the 2023-2026 Chapter — the city’s plan to invest in infrastructure and amenities — to design and construction of a new outdoor pool at Mount Pleasant Park, and asked the city council to agree to fund the remaining cost. The next day, the council voted down any spending on the project. “I was surprised,” said park board commissioner John Cooper. “I don’t know the reason because some of the council members have supported it in the past.” The board has passed several resolutions over the past decade to build a new pool, but the project never got started, Margery Duda, chair of the Mount Pleasant Community Center pool committee, told CBC’s On the Coast. The proposal for the new outdoor pool at Mount Pleasant Park. (Vancouver Parks and Recreation Board/ Submitted) There are five outdoor pools in Vancouver: Kitsilano Pool, Second Beach Pool in Stanley Park, New Brighton Pool in the Hastings-Sunrise neighborhood, Maple Grove Pool in Kerrisdale, and the Hillcrest Aquatic Center pool near Queen Elizabeth Park. Duda said more outdoor pools are needed. “Surrey, BC, has eight [outdoor] swimming pools,” he said. “Having an outdoor pool in a very popular community park, in a neighborhood that’s densely populated and close to all kinds of transit, is a great idea,” he said. The closure of Kitsilano Pool in January 2022, when a windstorm caused extensive damage to the facility, increased the pressure on outdoor pool space. To compensate for the closings, the park board extended hours and added lifeguards at Second Beach and New Brighton pools.
The cost could be as high as $20 million
Rebuilding the Mount Pleasant pool is estimated to cost between $12 million and $15 million, according to Coupar, although the total cost could be as high as $20 million. “I’ve heard from the community across the city that they really miss outdoor pools,” Coupar told CBC News. “He had promised to come back and he just never came back. Other budget priorities got in the way.” Coun. Sarah Kirby Yung says council voted 10-1 against funding the Mount Pleasant pool project after residents expressed concern about keeping the green. “We’re hearing as the city densifies … how important that green space is to sustainability. It’s not just a big area there. We’ve heard that the majority of the community really wants to keep it as park access,” he said. he said. The opening ceremony for Mount Pleasant Pool in 1967. The pool was in operation for 42 years. (CBC)
The community divided
Proposals to rebuild the pool have divided residents. “It’s important for kids to learn how to swim when you’re in a coastal community. Most of us learned to swim in these pools as kids, myself included,” Coupar said. Coupar, who is running for mayor this fall, said a majority of park board commissioners were adamant about building an outdoor pool at Mount Pleasant Park and will seek federal or provincial funding to help make the project happen. “Generally, when we have plans ready for the shovel and there’s money available from the feds or the province, we’ll be able to apply for it under various programs,” he said. The Mount Pleasant pool was demolished in 2009 and the site is now home to a park that includes a playground, basketball court, skate park and community garden. (CBC) But an online petition that has gathered hundreds of signatures argues that the park is not the right location for a pool. “We have a small house so we don’t have yard space, so we use the park on the weekends,” Mount Pleasant resident Joleen Timko said. “We know the people signing the petition actually use the space. They value it so much and don’t want to see it replaced with a pool.” Mount Pleasant resident Joleen Timko says much of the park’s greenery would be lost if an outdoor pool were built. (CBC) Timko said the city needs to recognize “the importance of green spaces” amid increasing density. “This is not really a solution to climate change,” Timko said. “You’re replacing trees, which sequester carbon, with something like concrete.” Coupar said previous consultations and design plans for the pool took into account green space in the park. “There is a lot of green space in this park and I am committed to building this pool,” he said.
