Vancouver Aquatic Centre will soon reopen after abrupt closure
The Vancouver Aquatic Centre will soon reopen to give swimmers a chance to take a plunge after a sudden closure earlier this month.
The Vancouver Park Board announced that the West End facility will be back open starting on Friday, Nov. 21.
According to the Park Board, the closure was due to an “operational issue.”
A small piece of concrete had fallen from the ceiling into one of the swim lanes. No staff or patrons were injured.
Stephanie Braconnier/Shutterstock
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“During the closure, the facility underwent a thorough safety review, and precautionary ceiling netting was installed to ensure the safety of patrons and staff,” said the Park Board in a release. “These measures were inspected and the facility determined to be safe for public use this week by the City’s Chief Building Officer and structural engineers.
“This type of issue can occur in older buildings, and VAC is more than 50 years old and beyond its intended service life. Similar precautionary steps have been taken in other parts of the facility to maintain safety.”
Existing Vancouver Aquatic Centre. (Google Maps)
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.
Construction on the new Vancouver Aquatic Centre is expected to begin in 2026, according to the Park Board.
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