ABC Vancouver is now promising to build a 50-metre pool

0:00This episode is brought to you by PayPal. You know how a mom's bag has everything? Sunscreen? Snacks? A stapler? The new PayPal app is like that, but for your money. Shop, pay, manager account, and earn rewards all in one place. And with purchase protection on eligible items, biometric security, and pasquies, you're protected at every step. Download the new PayPal app to get started. See PayPal.com slash protection terms. We are taking a look at the Civic campaign, and specifically in Vancouver, where one topic that has been debated at length for the past few months has become a bit of an election issue. So obviously we're hearing quite loud and clear from the swim club community that the loss of a 15-year pool is significant to them. And we appreciate that as well. If we could build a 50-meter pool on this site, we would certainly be exploring that. The building is reaching end of life and needs to be replaced. Last month, Parkboard staff revealed designs for the new building.

1:00But instead of one 50-meter pool, the plan has a 25-meter tank and a new leisure pool. It's essential for training. Our swimmers are competing at a provincial and national level, and hopefully, a few of them have Olympic dreams. And those Olympics are swim in a 50-meter length, not a 25-meter length, so it's like training for a hockey game and half a rink. That story from Global News a few months ago. Well, fast forward to today. And this has become a campaign issue. Joining me to talk more about this is John Gerard, managing director of protecting our Vancouver Aquatic Center Society. John Gerard, thank you for being with us. Yeah, thanks so much again for having me, Jill. So it sounded as though the decision had been made. The demolition was going forward. The only thing that could be accommodated on the footprint we were told was this 25-meter pool. We're now hearing from ABC Vancouver that, yes, actually, if elected, they could build a 50-meter pool. What is your take on what we're hearing now during the Civic Campaign?

2:05So my, my take is, is split somewhat because firstly, it shows that we've been right all along. So everything that that my society has been fighting for over the past few months where we've been saying that a 50-meter pool is there today and a 50-meter pool has been possible all along. Some of that is now, of course, with the promises that a lot of the parties are making proves that to be accurate as well. The other half of that statement, though, is that I don't believe that any of the parties who are making that claim, especially ABC, have any intent whatsoever on actually delivering on it. And the reason I say that is because, of course, ABC has been the current party in power. They've been privy to our lawsuit for its entire duration.

3:07And at no point have they ever even considered stepping in. And in fact, they were silent. So up until now, and even right now, as the facility is about to be demolished, they could step in two day and stop it if they had any intent. And they could retain the facility since we know that a renovation was always possible and would have been much cheaper, especially since they're saying they're going to be doing it at cost, whatever that means. So their actions are not aligning with the truth on this matter. Were you surprised to hear that in the ABC election platform, that line saying that it would rebuild the Vancouver Aquatic Center with a 50 meter pool? I wish I could say I was surprised. I was not surprised at all because it is completely in line with the conduct that we've seen from not only their Park Board commissioners,

4:09but they themselves as a party. It's total pandering at the end of the day. They are willing to say whatever it takes to get elected, including the free swimming lessons nonsense when there's no aquatic capacity in the city of Vancouver. They have zero intent. I promise you they have zero intent on actually delivering. Look for the candidates with real action behind their words, not just words is what I would say. Because I was curious when I heard that as well, having looked at this and having talked to people like yourself and others involved with the aquatic center before, we were told the reasons that were given was that the footprint, the way it is now and the rules and the regulations that have changed since when the original aquatic center was built, make it impossible to fit a modern 50 meter pool on that site that it simply didn't fit the footprint. So unless the footprint has changed, how is it possible now? Well, I don't think they're actually taking into account any of those real

5:14decisions that have actual implications on the build there. They've put themselves in the position where they're willing to say just about anything, including promises on delivering now a 50 meter pool without knowing a lot of the, probably about a lot of the reasoning and decisions, materials that we have in our possession and that have been in parkboard hands, with respect to some of those matters that you're, that you're alluding to, like the land issue matters. It seems like they're either sort of pretending that those matters don't exist, or they're seeming to say that they would somehow magically be able to resolve those matters even though they weren't able to in the past four years. But I think the bigger issue is that, as I said, all of the parties who are making these claims, except for one, I would say, they're not taking into account that

6:19renovation of that facility was always possible and a renovation is held to a different standard. So a modern facility is placed up against the newer aquatic regulations. But as many people will tell you, that facility is completely accessible as it is today. In fact, we've spoken with a number of disabled individuals who preferred the accessibility of the Vancouver Aquatic Center over some of the other facilities, newer facilities like Hillcrest, for example. So any claim that it's about accessibility issues is not accurate either. And so at this point, and I guess I should mention as well, it's not only ABC that is saying they would go back to the 50-meter pool and rebuild that. I think some of the other parties as well, Vancouver Liberals, I believe, said they could go back to the 50-meter pool. I think the Greens Pete Fry saying not at that site, but they would build a 50-meter pool

7:20at a different site. So we are hearing a lot about this from the different parties. All of this is happening as the Civic Election Campaigns continue. And as demolition of that facility is set to start pretty soon. So what do you think is actually going to happen there? So I'm not sure if you're aware, Jill, but we filed an appeal in the appeal court of BC just yesterday. So our appeal is actually seeking a stay on the demolition. And it's different from our original appeal that the lower court denied at the time of our judicial review. In this appeal, we're actually, we're stating that the facility is about to be demolished. And the fact is there's a new board that's about to be elected. There's a change of hands that's about to take place. If the city and the park board are so confident that they made the right decision,

8:21they should extend that opportunity to the new board to allow them the opportunity to either proceed or should one of those individuals coming in to be elected, should they choose to pass a motion to reopen the facility? I'm not sure if you're aware, but a number of the candidates are actually saying they would not only seek to plan potentially for a renovation instead of a rebuild, they would look to reopen the facility as it is today. And by demolishing the facility, none of that is possible. So I am actually running for park board. My other co-director is running for park board. We are committed to that and we are aware of at least seven other park board individuals who also stand by that statement. So it seems like time is very important here. And this would be a pretty urgent thing given that the demolition is scheduled for later this month. Do you think the appeal will be heard? Is there a chance to get that state?

9:26There actually is. So we have an urgent application in place and we've been coordinating with the city. I should say our attorneys have been coordinating with the city. And so we have a hearing scheduled at this time for October 9th, which is actually next Friday. So that is actually incredibly fast for one of these sorts of hearings to be scheduled. And we have a very good chance. We feel quite optimistic that the court is going to do the right thing this time around, because we are basing it on different reasoning and not for the reasons that we are doing. Not for the reasons that the lower court had previously resolved and relied upon. We will stay tuned to see what happens next with this aquatic center. John Gerard, thank you for coming back on the show. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Fall has never looked or tasted this good. Sweet Greens Fall Harvest Menu is back with seasonal favorites dressed to impress and made to be devoured.

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