Summer bummer: Vancouver's Kits Pool will not open this season

Vancouver's famous beachside landmark, Kits Pool, will not be opening this year.

The summer bummer was announced in a statement posted to the City of Vancouver website and social media Wednesday morning. 

"We regret to announce that Kitsilano Outdoor Pool will remain closed this summer. This decision was made after careful consideration and will allow staff to address a number of core issues with the pool," it said. 

The news isn't entirely surprising. The 137-metre long pool that sits on Kitsilano Beach already had its scheduled May 18 opening pushed back indefinitely due to what city officials called "unforeseen repairs."

Last year, a report to Park Board outlined the severe problems facing the city's largest pool, including news that it was leaking 30,000 litres of water an hour.

Vancouver's park board general manager said there's just too much water leaking out of the pool to maintain water chemistry to public health standards.

"Some of the repairs we undertook in the off-season as we prepared to open this year found more leaks, and right now, we can't maintain the water level and chemical balance to ensure we can operate safely," said Steve Jackson.

"The best decision we see is taking the summer — because we do need prolonged dry weather to do the work — and hope for the best for next year."

Kits Pool was opened over 50 years ago and is Vancouver's busiest pool, attracting close to 150,000 people during its May to September annual opening. 

Sitting on the western end of Kitsilano Beach, the pool has taken a beating in recent years from climate change effects, including a rising ocean and high tides.

A king tide in January of 2022 caused significant damage to the piping system that circulates and filters the water, and there are cracks and deteriorating seams in the main tank as well. 

Jackson said a liner will be installed inside the tank to stop those leaks. 

"We're going to do what we can to open next year, hope those repairs are successful and that we can get another five to 10 years out of this facility," said Jackson.

"We need to start thinking about the future, paying close attention to the pool, how important it is to the community and what an iconic feature it is for Vancouver."

The cost of the repairs is unknown, said Jackson. He said Second Beach Pool will announce extended hours to compensate for the Kits closure.