Vancouver’s oldest competitive swim club has expressed shock over the sudden closure of another pool it depends on for nearly a year. The Canadian Dolphins Swim Club previously lost its main facility, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, which closed in June ahead of its scheduled demolition. Now, the Britannia Pool in East Vancouver, where the club’s members were relocated, is set to undergo renovations by the City of Vancouver’s Real Estate and Facilities Management (REFM) division starting in November.
Jeannie Lo, the president of Canadian Dolphins, described the situation as a “disaster,” as the club now faces the challenge of finding alternative arrangements for its 240 members amidst the diminishing pool options in Vancouver. Adding to the difficulty, the club was notified of the Britannia closure only 18 days before the commencement of the new swim season.
This development is another setback for the 70-year-old club, which had already lost 40% of its allocated pool time following the closure of the Aquatic Centre. In an email to Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, city council members, and Park Board commissioners, the club urged the politicians to intervene and prevent the closure of the Britannia Pool, highlighting the critical need for aquatic facilities in the city.
CBC News attempted to reach Mayor Sim and Park Board Chair Tom Digby for comments, but they were unavailable at the time of the deadline. If Britannia Pool closes, Canadian Dolphins may be compelled to make difficult decisions such as reducing the number of swimmers and coaches, a prospect Lo described as “extremely devastating” and a measure of last resort.