Vancouver council approves corporate funding for Kits Pool rebuild

Vancouver city council passed a motion to allow corporate partners or corporate funding to help pay for a new Kitsilano Pool.

The motion passed unanimously at a finance committee meeting Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement, the City of Vancouver said, “This initiative paves the way for donations and corporate sponsorships to contribute to this crucial project.”

Mayor Ken Sim says the Kitsilano Pool is an “iconic spot” that the city cannot afford to lose.

Council also voted in favour of the creation of a “dedicated fund,” allowing for public, corporate, and philanthropic donations toward the costs of a new pool.

Kitsilano Pool will remain closed, the Park Board explained earlier this month, after the pool continues to lose a “substantial amount of water” even after making significant repairs.

Over the past eight years, $5 million has been spent on capital works at the pool — the longest outdoor swimming pool in North America. It opened in 1931 and was replaced with the current design in 1978.

The Park Board has previously stated that as the pool was built 50 years ago, it is “at the end of its service life, with many components failing, deteriorating, and in need of repairs.”

Council is having staff report back by the end of next month to figure out who can help pay for the upgraded pool. It last underwent renovations in 2018.

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