Commissioners reallocated $600,000 meant for upgrades to Kensington pool
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The Vancouver park board says it will restore lifeguard service to most outdoor beaches this summer, reversing a previous decision to cut lifeguarding service at five locations.
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In March, the park board said lifeguards were going to be removed from five of 10 patrolled beaches — Spanish Banks East and West, Third Beach, Sunset Beach, and Trout Lake — in an effort to cut costs.
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On Friday, the board announced lifeguards will be back at those beaches, with the exception of Trout Lake.
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“We were able to find the money,” said park board chairman Tom Digby. “We really did hear from the public about the importance of public safety and the need for the lifeguards.”
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News of the initial lifeguard staffing reduction sparked public outcry and drew the attention of singer Peter Gabriel, who shared how lifeguards saved his life when he got caught in a riptide windsurfing in Spanish Banks in 1983.
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The park board asked city council for additional funding to restore lifeguard services at the affected beaches.
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Sunrise
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Last month, Coun. Pete Fry introduced a motion at city hall to fulfil the park board’s request, but council rejected the motion and asked the park board to find the money within its own budget.
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The park board did, voting unanimously Monday in an in camera meeting to reallocate $600,000 meant for accessibility upgrades at Kensington pool toward lifeguard staffing.
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Digby said it was a difficult decision, but noted that a renewal of Kensington pool was a priority for the park board and Mayor Ken Sim, who had identified the 48-year-old facility as a key project in council’s $400-million, four year plan to rebuild or renovate five aging community centres.
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“It made sense rather than spend the money this year then do a rebuild three years from now, we can defer that and when we do get a new pool we can take care of the whole issue,” said Digby.
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Trout Lake, which attracts few swimmers and is often closed to swimming due to high levels of water contamination, will not have lifeguards this summer.
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With stricter water restrictions expected later this summer, Digby said it’s difficult to maintain water quality in the lake. The beach itself is also hard to keep clean due to goose activity.
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The announcement was welcomed by the Lifesaving Society, which said lifeguards are critical for safety at beaches.
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“With this essential service in place, Vancouverites and visitors can more confidently enjoy the outdoors this summer, knowing trained professional lifeguards are available to welcome beachgoers, promote safe behaviours, de-escalate situations and act quickly when lives are at stake,” said Lenea Grace, executive director of the society’s B.C. and Yukon branch, in a statement.
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The society said fewer than one per cent of drownings occur when lifeguards are present versus 99 per cent of drownings occurring in unsupervised waters.
