With the long-term future of Vancouver’s iconic Kits Pool in doubt, a local architectural rendering studio has shared some of its own ideas.
In what is not an official proposal, the firm — Eight Station — says it has reimagined the pool to reflect a “more accessible and functional urban oasis.”
“Our approach recognizes that Kitsilano Pool is a vital piece of Vancouver’s social and cultural fabric,” said company founder Ana Romaniv.
“We wanted to create a vision that honours the pool’s legacy while addressing the real challenges that have impacted its operations and accessibility.”
Eight Station says the designs focus on four areas: expanding community gathering space, optimizing spatial planning, enhancing the pedestrian experience, and thoughtful landscape integration.
The designs include several paths, a potential amphitheatre, better crowd flow, and the reduction of barriers so users can see more of the waterfront. The pool itself remains in roughly the same location.
The city and park board are in the process of planning a replacement outdoor pool as the current one — built in 1931 and rebuilt in 1979 — is leaking water and nearing the end of its lifespan, requiring annual maintenance and ongoing repairs. The pool’s opening was delayed this summer after newly identified pool infrastructure issues were addressed.
Related articles:
In 2024, the pool was only open for one month after undergoing $4 million in repairs. At that time, Mayor Ken Sim said the repairs were intended to extend the pool’s life by another two years while plans for a new facility got underway.
Sim added the closing of the pool was a “disappointment shared by the entire city.”
— With files from Jan Schuermann and Charles Brockman.