Victoria loses its only public pool Sept. 25, with nothing to swim in until 2027

It was a broken water line in a third-floor utility closet that did it. On June 15, water flooded through the walls and ceilings of the former downtown Y on Broughton Street — the building the city had counted on to keep Victoria swimming while Crystal Pool comes down.

So now there's a gap. Crystal Pool closes for good on Sept. 25, demolition starts right away, and the interim Victoria Recreation Centre won't open until early 2027. Parks director Derrick Newman couldn't give reporters a date on Tuesday.

When it does open, it'll be smaller. A three-lane, 25-metre pool where Crystal had eight lanes across 50 metres, no hot tub, no sauna, no steam room, and reduced drop-in swimming to make room for lessons and clubs. The building is older than Crystal Pool, which opened in 1971.

The city looked at partnering with hotels and retrofitting the Crystal Garden. Neither penciled out. The $209.2-million replacement is on track for late 2030.