Popular Vancouver outdoor pool forced to close until further notice
A busy Vancouver outdoor pool was forced to suddenly close this week, leaving local swimmers with one less place to enjoy during the hot summer weather.
The Vancouver Park Board announced on Tuesday that New Brighton Pool in the city’s Sunrise neighbourhood is closed until further notice due to mechanical issues.
“We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve the issue,” the Park Board said in its operational update.
Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
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New Brighton Pool is a heated, outdoor pool that offers regular length swimming and a sloped entry for young children. It features a slide and aquatic wheelchairs, and is also wheelchair accessible.
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation told Daily Hive that the pool’s closure stems from an unexpected mechanical pump issue.
“At this time, we don’t have an estimated reopening date,” Vancouver Park Board added. “Our team is working hard to resolve the issue, and we’ll share updates on our website and social media as soon as more information becomes available.”
Local swimmers replied to the Vancouver Park Board announcement by requesting that the pool’s season be extended to make up for the lost time.
Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
All of Vancouver’s outdoor pools, including Second Beach, Kits, Maple Grove, and New Brighton, are slated to close for the season on Monday, Sept. 1.
Swimming pools have been a hot-button topic for Vancouverites this summer, especially Kits Pool, with controversy surrounding the current reservation system.
A motion was introduced in July to abolish the reservation system, but it was quickly dismissed and called “not urgent.”
Kits Pool on Aug. 6, 2019. (David Margolis/Submitted)
On July 31, the Park Board announced it would be trialling some changes to the pool, but these were not geared towards the no-reservation system camp.
Instead, these changes were aimed at drop-in swimmers. Starting Aug. 5, the Park Board said swimmers who arrive during the final 45 minutes of a time slot at Kits Pool would be able to get a 50 per cent discount on the drop-in admission rate.
It would not apply to the reservation system or swim lessons between 7 and 8:30 a.m. These changes were also applied at Second Beach Pool, New Brighton Pool, and Maple Grove Pool.
With files from Daily Hive staff