The heated debate over Kitsilano Pool’s pandemic-era reservation system has spilled into Vancouver’s political arena, as Mayor Ken Sim and the Vancouver Park Board spar over how best to manage the city’s iconic outdoor swimming spot.
As reported by the Vancouver Sun, tensions escalated Monday night when Park Board chair Laura Christensen refused to hear a motion from ABC Vancouver commissioner Marie-Claire Howard that called for an immediate end to the controversial booking system at Kits Pool.
Introduced in 2020 during COVID-19, the system still limits pool capacity and requires online reservations for 80 percent of available swim slots—leaving only 20 percent for two-hour drop-ins. Four daily 30-minute cleaning breaks remain in place, and cancelled reservations are non-refundable.
Mayor Sim, who has been vocal about dismantling what he described as an “outdated” system, issued a statement Tuesday reinforcing calls from the public to scrap the booking process entirely.
“The public feedback has been overwhelming,” said Sim, urging the Park Board to restore full, open access to the pool.
But Christensen pushed back, saying Sim doesn’t have the “full picture,” and that staff are currently collecting data and community input to be reviewed after the summer season.
“I’ve been getting feedback on both sides of this argument,” Christensen told the Vancouver Sun. She defended her decision to block Howard’s motion, explaining it did not meet the board’s criteria for urgent business—defined as issues tied to public health, safety, or significant financial or legal concerns.
Christensen also suggested that Sim’s intervention was more political than practical. “For Ken Sim to write a letter to demand we change a system when he doesn’t have the full picture… shows that he’s doing this for the wrong reasons,” she said.
The showdown adds fuel to an already simmering turf war between the mayor’s office and the elected Park Board, with Kits Pool caught in the crosscurrents.
For now, Kitsilano swimmers hoping for a return to pre-pandemic drop-in freedom will have to wait—and keep checking for those elusive 20 percent drop-in slots.
Last modified: July 22, 2025
