Vancouver Aquatic Centre closes Sunday after 52 years
A court rejected a bid to save the West End pool. Demolition begins this fall for a smaller 25-metre replacement.
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The Vancouver Aquatic Centre at Sunset Beach Park will permanently close Sunday, June 28, ending 52 years of operation. A judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia rejected an interim injunction request this week from the Save Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society, clearing the way for the closure.
The society, formed by local residents and pool users, has fought the Vancouver Park Board's decision to replace the Olympic-sized 50-metre pool with a new 25-metre facility. Since July 2025, the group has raised nearly $91,000 through crowdfunding to cover legal costs.
The closure triggers site preparation and demolition work planned for fall 2026. The City of Vancouver must begin construction before the end of 2026 to use the $103 million in loans approved by voters in a 2022 plebiscite. That financing covers the majority of the project's $175-million cost.
The new facility will include the smaller lap pool, a leisure pool with a lazy river, a deep diving tank, a hot pool, steam and sauna rooms, and a fitness gym—all within the existing building's footprint to help reduce costs.
The society argues that voters explicitly approved borrowing for a 50-metre pool renewal, not a downsized replacement. The court has yet to rule on the central legal battle over whether the City has the authority to build a smaller tank than what was promised to the public.