Popular Vancouver indoor pool forced to close until further notice
A busy Vancouver indoor pool was forced to suddenly close this week, leaving local swimmers with one less place to dive into during the cool fall temperatures.
The Vancouver Park Board announced on Monday that the Vancouver Aquatic Centre in the city’s West End is temporarily closed until further notice.
According to the Park Board’s social media and the centre’s website, the closure is due to an “operational issue.”
Interior of the existing Vancouver Aquatic Centre. (Shutterstock)
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“The Vancouver Aquatic Centre is currently closed as of yesterday afternoon, when a small piece of concrete fell from the ceiling into one of the swim lanes,” the City of Vancouver told Daily Hive Urbanized.
“No patrons or staff were injured. As a precaution, the facility was closed while a structural engineer completes a thorough assessment, which is currently ongoing. Refunds will be issued to all patrons and user groups impacted by this closure.”
The VAC will remain closed until the assessment is complete. Updates will be posted on the City’s website and Board of Parks and Recreation social media channels.
The Vancouver Aquatic Centre is a naturally lit, indoor pool located near Sunset Beach. The building was constructed in 1974 and is due to be replaced by the City of Vancouver.
The future of the facility has long been debated, with funding for a controversial new 25-metre West End pool approved by the Vancouver City Council in June.
February 2025 preliminary concept of the new Vancouver Aquatic Centre. (Acton Ostry Architects/MJMA Architecture and Design)
Both the Vancouver Park Board commissioners and Vancouver City Council effectively endorsed the preferred concept to build a new replacement Vancouver Aquatic Centre, with a 25-metre, eight-lane lap swimming pool as its primary tank.
The project is currently anticipated to cost $175 million, with the current-established timeline of awarding the construction contract and beginning major construction work by the end of 2026.