VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Are you ready for swimming season? One of Vancouver’s biggest summer attractions is almost ready to open for business.

The $3.3-million renovation of the Kitsilano Pool will be completed soon.

You could say the work at the 137-metre pool was overdue, says the Vancouver Park Board‘s Sean Healy. “The last time Kits Pool saw a significant renovation was way back in 1979. This important work will last for generations.”

The pool has been covered since the fall, allowing nearly a dump truck of old paint to be removed.

“We’re putting in a new membrane along with control joints. Most people might be surprised to hear that a pool is not just one full pour of concrete, but in fact it’s a number of plates that are connected with a waterstop in between each one,” says Healy.

That cuts down on replacement water use that had been leaking for years.

“The benefit is it will improve the water integrity of the basin. So, we anticipate that we will use much less make-up water. We were losing water from the pool so that make-up water will be significantly reduced,” explains Healy.

Vancouver’s outdoor pools open May 19th.