Steveston residents petition Richmond council for better pool hours

More than a hundred patrons are petitioning the city for longer hours at Steveston’s outdoor pool.

The 109 petitioners would like to see Steveston Pool — known as “Richmond’s best kept secret” — used to its “full potential,” according to a letter submitted to city council ahead of next week’s parks, recreation and cultural services committee meeting.

The petition asks that the pool — which operates seasonally — be open to the public seven days a week from the beginning of May until the end of September starting in 2020, and that length swimming hours be protected. 

Currently, the pool’s hours vary based on the time of year and whether it’s open for public use or club use, according to the city. There are also designated hours for length swims.

Early in the season, for example, the pool was open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. on weekends, but that changed to noon to 2 p.m. on weekdays at the end of June. Public pool hours changed again at the end of August and early September.

The swim club, the Kigoos, had its own schedule.

Many who use the pool — or would like to use it — “believe that the days and hours that the pool is actually open are too restrictive and not the best utilization of such a valuable civic resource,” according to the letter.

The petitioners are asking for daily public swims from noon to 7 p.m. and lengths from 10 a.m. to noon on weekends and statutory holidays.

The letter, written by the Steveston Pool Petition Action Team, states that some of the pool’s swimmers can only swim either during the week or on the weekend.

The 15-page petition was signed throughout September by people who either swim at the pool or support extending its hours of operation.

The pool, at 4151 Moncton St. next to the Steveston Community Centre, is a 25-metre, six-lane rectangular heated outdoor pool, and is home to Richmond’s Summer Swim Club, the Kigoos.

The facility also has an outdoor slide and shallow children’s pool.

The petition will be presented at the parks and recreation meeting on Nov. 26.

The city said it is not aware of any complaints regarding the pool’s hours.