Election explainer · Parks
What Vancouver’s mayoral campaigns are promising on pools
A 50-metre pool, free lessons and more pool time: what the mayoral campaigns have put on the table.
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Some campaigns want a 50-metre pool at the Aquatic Centre. ABC is promising free lessons. If you’re trying to fit a swim into your week, or get a kid into lessons, those are two very different promises.
Here’s what the eight mayoral candidates and their parties have actually published, checked September 15, 2026.
What’s on offer
| Candidate and party | Published commitment | What we’d like to know |
|---|---|---|
| Kareem Allam Vancouver Liberals | The party’s issues page calls for a 50-metre Vancouver Aquatic Centre pool rather than the planned 25-metre version. Issues page | How a revised design would change the project cost, committed work and opening date. |
| Rebecca Bligh Vote Vancouver | Her public-services platform promises investment in pools, community centres and libraries. Public-services platform | Which pools would get the money, and would it mean more time to swim? Her platform doesn’t say yet. |
| Colleen Hardwick TEAM | TEAM proposes reconsidering the VAC replacement to include 50 metres, including investigating renovation if necessary to retain that length. It also proposes swimming and lifeguard training for children, with community-centre and school cooperation. Parks platform, items 30 and 31 | Whether the building option remains available as demolition approaches, and the cost and timetable of a revised project and training programme. |
| Ken Sim ABC Vancouver | ABC’s July 13 announcement promises free swimming lessons and accessible pools. It calls for removing remaining reservation requirements and time limits to restore drop-in access. The same announcement says ABC will retain the elected Park Board and run candidates. Its September 21 platform adds a pledge to work with the School Board to bring swimming lessons into the school day; it does not yet specify the number of places or a start date. September platform release July announcement | Who would qualify for free lessons, when places would be available and how instructors and pool time would be funded. Would there be more instructors and pool time to meet demand? |
The other four candidates
We haven’t found a specific pool promise from the other four candidates in the sources below. We’ll add more as we find it.
- Muhammad Ahmad, Bright Future Vancouver: the Blueprint overview reviewed for this edition does not set out a specific pool project or swimming-access commitment.
- Amauri Caliman, no party listed: we haven't found a pool proposal yet. The City’s candidate entry links his social accounts.
- Pete Fry, Green: his mayoral campaign page discusses public services and Park Board governance, but does not specify a pool design, budget or swimming-access programme.
- Scott Gilbert, no party listed: no pool commitment was identified on the campaign homepage reviewed for this edition.
Pool length is one part of the decision
The City’s June announcement describes a funded $175-million VAC replacement with a 25-metre lap pool, separate diving tank and leisure facilities. A redesign would mean changing that plan. City replacement announcement
We’d rather hear about the weekly schedule than the pool length. How many more lesson spots? Open at six in the morning or not? A pool nobody can get into at a useful hour isn’t much of a promise.
For swimming during construction, use our guide to current pool options. If a campaign publishes more detail, send us a link and we’ll take a look.
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