Debate rages over COVID-19 era reservation system at Kits pool in Vancouver

If you want to go for a swim at the Kitsilano pool, it’s not as simple as grabbing your suit and diving in – you need to make a booking online.

On a hot day, it’s hard to beat the Kitsilano outdoor pool as a way to cool down.

But how you get into the water is becoming a major talking point – with broadcaster Jody Vance leading a push online to end the online booking system, a system that was initially brought in during the COVID-19 pandemic as a safety measure.

While you can still technically go into the water on a drop-in basis, only 20 per cent of pool spots are left for those wanting to go for a dip on a whim.

“To not be able to access it spontaneously, I think, is a travesty for families – and there are people who are going to miss out on the experiences I was lucky enough to have,” Vance told CTV News at the pool on Friday.

Vance has been one of the most vocal critics of the park board’s online system, posting about it regularly to her online followers.

Another high-profile critic is former Vancouver city councillor George Affleck, who has similarly been advocating for a return to the old system in regular social media posts.

Beyond the booking system itself, another criticism has been the changeover period – in which the pool sits empty for half an hour multiple times a day – sometimes at prime-time slots like from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

“That’s two full hours a day that people could be using this community amenity,” Vance said of the 30-minute windows between swimming slots.

But the park board insists many swimmers appreciate the certainty of specific time slots, especially on a hot day.

“People standing in line in the heat for a long amount of time,” Park Board Chair Laura Christensen told CTV News when asked about some of the drawbacks of the old system. “That can result in people becoming ill, people getting heat stress from standing in the heat. People paying for parking to go to a pool they may not be able to get into.”

Christensen said that while it’s true the reservation system was brought in during the pandemic, staff had started to explore the idea before COVID-19. She also defended the changeover system – explaining that while the pool is empty as people change – many of those people are still in the change rooms before the new group comes in.

“If you think about when you finish swimming, you need to shower, you need to get dressed. If you’ve got kids with you, that can take time to get everybody ready and dressed,” said Christensen. “We have that time period to let everybody get out of the pool.”

Swimmers CTV News spoke with on Friday at the pool had a range of opinions. Some shared Vance’s view that a day at the pool should be spontaneous, while others liked the fact that if they planned ahead, they could show up knowing they would get in for sure at their time slot.

Ultimately, the debate will continue, and the park board says it is listening – pointing to its moves to lengthen early morning swims and public swims after hearing feedback from the public.