Bold concept for a new Kitsilano Pool imagines a vibrant waterfront | Daily Hive

Bold concept for a new Kitsilano Pool reimagines waterfront as a vibrant gathering space

Not the actual proposed design; unsolicited concept for the new Kitsilano Pool. (Eight Station)

Due to necessary repairs, the popular Kitsilano Pool saw a late opening for its 2025 operating season towards the end of June, and now it is set to close for the season after Sept. 1, Labour Day.

This is likely to be one of the outdoor pool’s last remaining operating seasons, ahead of its planned permanent closure for the construction of a brand-new replacement pool, with construction beginning possibly later this decade if funding can be secured. This continued operation of the pool for a few more seasons before construction also assumes that no shutdowns are necessary due to new technical and safety issues.

This iconic pool is exponentially larger than a conventional Olympic-sized pool. Measuring 137.5 metres long, the existing pool is still the longest public outdoor swimming pool in North America. About 60 per cent of the pool area is currently used for lap swimming and leisure activities.

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A seaside outdoor pool that uses saltwater has existed in the area since 1931, which was filled with water at high tide. Its sandy bottom was replaced with a concrete base in the 1960s, and the pool that currently exists was rebuilt on top of the original with a second concrete pool basin and the installation of mechanical equipment to pump, heat, and treat the seawater.

But the facility is now aging, and it incurred significant damage from a storm and king tide in early 2022 that flooded the entire area. So far, the relatively superficial repairs performed on the pool to enable its continued use are temporary in nature, with outstanding deficiencies remaining and longer-term risk from sea level rise.

Kitsilano Pool on a sunny summer day with swimmers in the water and Vancouver’s skyline in the background. (Eric Buermeyer/Shutterstock)

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Aerial of Kitsilano Pool at nighttime. (Stephen T. Y. Wong/Shutterstock)

The City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Park Board are now in the process of planning a replacement outdoor pool, with the feasibility study area spanning a much larger area of the park, well beyond the existing pool footprint, including the green spaces adjacent to the existing pool, and the tennis courts and parking lot next to Arbutus Street.

This enables the potential consideration of a reconfiguration of the park space to build a new replacement pool in a location with higher terrain, away from the shoreline, as a measure to account for future sea level rises.

The municipal government has hired architectural firm HCMA to conduct a feasibility study outlining potential options. Some community members have expressed concern that, based on the initial public consultation, the forthcoming recommended design could result in a smaller pool and a more traditional standardized pool design — amounting to a departure from Kits Pool’s original concept as an unconventional aquatic leisure and recreational destination.

Kitsilano Pool in the 1940s. (Jack Linsday/VancouverArchives)

An aerial view of Kitsilano Pool from 1945. (Royal Canadian Airforce/Vancouver Archives)

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Study area for the replacement project for Kitsilano Pool. (Vancouver Park Board)

But a new concept created by Vancouver-based architectural rendering studio Eight Station imagines building a similarly sized new replacement pool on the same seaside footprint as the existing facility. It should be strongly emphasized that Eight Station’s concept is not an actual proposed design by the municipal government; this is an unsolicited concept created by Eight Station to help aid public discussion and inspire the potential of a new and improved facility as a “more accessible and functional urban oasis.”

“Our approach recognizes that Kitsilano Pool is a vital piece of Vancouver’s social and cultural fabric,” said Ana Romaniv, founder of Eight Station.

“We wanted to create a vision that honours the pool’s legacy while addressing the real challenges that have impacted its operations and accessibility.”

Eight Station’s unsolicited design sets out four key design strategies: expanding community space through a redesigned amphitheatre with additional seating for gatherings and performances while preserving panoramic views of English Bay; optimizing the layout by relocating non-essential service areas to free up public space, improve crowd flow, and create more welcoming areas for families and diverse user groups; improving pedestrian access with pathway adjustments that enhance navigation and reduce congestion during peak times; and integrating landscaping in a way that improves sightlines, creates comfortable microclimates, and avoids maintenance-heavy overgrowth.

Three artistic renderings created by Eight Station each depict a slightly different design and layout of the reimagined pool, but each concept follows the four key design strategies outlined by the design firm.

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Not the actual proposed design; unsolicited concept for the new Kitsilano Pool. (Eight Station)

Eight Station is not an architectural design firm, but collaborates closely with architects and developers to bring projects to life through detailed visualizations. The studio has contributed to numerous developments locally, as well as across Canada and the United States.

Unveiled this week amid ongoing discussions about Kits Pool’s future, the unsolicited concept comes as the municipal government, the contracted architectural firm, and local residents weigh options for safeguarding and renewing one of Vancouver’s landmark waterfront amenities. Eight Station’s vision is positioned as a springboard for ideas.

The municipal government’s feasibility study outlining potential options and the recommended concept is expected to reach completion in Fall 2025.

In Summer 2026, Vancouver City Council and the Park Board will consider the new Kits Pool project for incorporation in the upcoming 2027-2030 capital plan, with the possibility of a plebiscite question on the October 2026 civic election ballot seeking voters’ permission to borrow money to finance the project.

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