The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation has put a plan in place to reopen Kitsilano Outdoor Pool in time for the August Long weekend.
In April, Recreation Services announced Kits Pool would not reopen in time for the May long weekend, due to damages sustained during the King-tide storm on January 7, 2022. The storm caused major issues in the pool basin, chambers and adjacent seawall. Early inspections by engineers showed substantial cracks, movement of cement slabs and gaps in the expansion joints, which led to concerns about whether or not there were voids under the pool tanks.
Following an extensive assessment, staff have confirmed the pool’s structural integrity has not been compromised, and the pool can be safely refilled once the cracks on its concrete surface are sealed. In order for the sealant to cure properly, the weather needs to be consistently dry for one week. From there, crews will need approximately two additional weeks to fill the pool, treat and heat the water, and prepare it for opening day.
If all goes to plan, Kits Pool will reopen from Saturday, July 30th to Monday, September 5th, and long-term assessments and repairs will be undertaken in the off season. These more in-depth repairs will be to rejuvenate the pool’s structure back to what it was before the storm and could include more extensive maintenance for the deeper cracks that went through the entire thickness of the pool, which will be chipped out for the addition of new rebar.
Last modified: June 29, 2022
