Vancouver’s Kitsilano Pool leaking 30,000 litres of water every hour

The most popular outdoor pool in Vancouver is leaking more than 30,000 litres of water every hour.

An alarming report about Kitsilano Pool was presented to Vancouver Park Board on Monday, and it said damages from the January 2022 King Tide event have led to the water loss.

The report said slab uplift and cracking are causing water loss from recirculation pipework.

“Exact locations of leaks and condition of piping are unknown; initial scoping indicates multiple instances of pipe shearing and breakage,” the report said.

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Other key findings in the report said the pool has exceeded the industry’s expected useful life, which is based on age, condition and risk of failure. The city asset’s infrastructure is more than 50 years old.

There is no current funding beyond regular maintenance work for the pool but staff are seeking funding for a feasibility study to evaluate the next steps.

In 2022, more than 120,000 swimmers and pool enjoyers visited the facility.

The Monday meeting was the first park board meeting since Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said he wants to get rid of the elected park board.

Vancouver city council will vote on Sim’s motion to request a Vancouver charter challenge to abolish the Park Board, on Wednesday. He previously called the board and the current park’s system in place “broken.”

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