To the editor:
Re: “Voters face capital ideas,” Oct. 15.
There has been no increase in pools over the past decade as this article states. Four out of seven outdoor pools have closed in the last 10 years, two of these under Vision, and they have not replaced any of them.
Nor is there any plan to replace them, now that Vision has voted against any outdoor swimming pools in this capital plan.
Park board needs to stop saying that there was a proposal for “another outdoor pool.” The proposal was specifically for the replacement of Mount Pleasant outdoor swimming pool that has space allocated for it pending the availability of funds, per public consultation and a park board motion in 2010.
Britannia’s improvements that span three capital plans will be lucky to see an outdoor wading pool in 12 years, similar to the Hillcrest outdoor wading pool. Stating that outdoor pools have to be tied to existing indoor pools is Vision’s excuse for doing nothing over the past six years to replace our outdoor aquatic facilities, and their plan to do more nothing over the next four years if they are elected.
The only way that Vancouver will see another outdoor pool anytime soon is to elect “pool positive” candidates such as COPE’s Anita Romaniuk, NPA’s John Coupar, and Green party candidate Stuart Mackinnon.
Margery Duda,
Vancouver
