BURST
The Vancouver Aquatic Centre will reopen Friday after a chunk of concrete from the ceiling fell into the pool, causing a two-week closure.
Park board staff say during the closure, the centre underwent a safety review, and precautionary ceiling netting was installed to protect patrons and staff.
These measures were inspected and the popular West End swimming complex was determined to be safe for public use this week by Vancouver’s chief building officer and structural engineers, according to a statement from the park board.
The centre is more than 50 years old and beyond its intended service life, the statement added. The centre is set to undergo a three-year, $175 million retrofit, with construction anticipated to begin in 2026.
The chunk of concrete that fell from the ceiling and forced the closure on Nov. 3 caused frustration for swimmers.
Swim groups like the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club had to find other pools for their athletes, difficult in a city underserved by pools.
There has also been controversy over the retrofit plan to shrink the pool from 50 metres long to 25. The group Protecting Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society has filed a court petition challenging the park board and Vancouver city council’s approval of the project, saying the length reduction goes against a 2022 public plebiscite that favoured a larger pool.
With files from J.J. Adams and Susan Lazaruk