‘I was upset’: Group questions Vancouver mayor’s plan after pool promise

Marpole residents say their pool is partly built and has been in the works for years, but the mayor recently promised a new pool to another rec centre.

A Vancouver community centre organization is questioning the mayor’s capital plan, after he promised a new pool to another civic facility in South Vancouver.

One of the city’s oldest community centers, the Marpole Community Centre, is undergoing a renewal.

As part of its revamp, an outdoor pool was included in the plan.

“A park board motion was made in 2018 to approve the location for a new full-size outdoor pool in South Vancouver co-located at Marpole Community Centre in Oak Park,” says VanSplash, the city’s aquatic strategy.

Mike Burdick, president of the Marpole Community Association said the plumbing for the pool is finished, and that it’s ready for concrete to be poured.

But about four months ago, Burdick said he was told by park board staff that the pool would be built later.

“Later is sort of an ambiguous term,” he said. “We have no clue what that means in terms of when or how.”

April announcement

In April, Mayor Ken Sim announced his four-year capital plan.

That announcement included a $400 million investment to replace or reconstruct the Dunbar, Kerrisdale, Hastings, Roundhouse and Kensington community centres.

Sim’s 2022-2027 plan also earmarked a 25-metre pool at Sunset Park.

Burdick said he learned through the media that Sunset Community Centre, located near the Marpole Community Centre, would be receiving a pool.

“Nobody picked up the phone and said, ‘You guys, you’re going to be a little shocked by what you hear,” he said. “I was upset.”

‘It will go ahead’

The Marpole Community Association wrote a letter to the mayor, council and park board commissioners on May 16 expressing their frustration.

On Tuesday, following questions from CTV News, ABC park board commissioner Jas Virdi, said Marpole would be receiving a pool and that it would be part of the capital plan, but could not provide specifics around funding.

“I don’t know where council’s getting that money from,” he said.

“But, I’m sure it’s from (community amenity contributions) or some money that the city has, but that project is planned for phase two and it will go ahead.”

Virdi referred to the idea that Marpole wouldn’t receive a pool as “misinformation.”

“It’s not that Marple wasn’t chosen,” he said.

“There is a pool slated for phase two of Marpole, and that plan is going forward in the capital plan. The Sunset project is actually a separate pool project.”

Virdi said, further details about the pool at Sunset would be announced Thursday.