Demolition begins of the famous Canada Games pool in New Westminster – BC

For five decades, the Canada Games Pool has been the hub of sports and activity in New Westminster. On Monday, demolition crews got to work tearing down the beloved facility.

The pool opened on March 9, 1973, with partial federal funding, as New Westminster and Burnaby hosted the Canada Summer Games. It was originally scheduled to be decommissioned in August 2023.

But a flood amid heavy rains in 2021 revealed extensive damage, and with just two years remaining in its lifespan, the city decided the repair would be too expensive with too little benefit.

Residents who came to watch crews get to work on Monday grew nostalgic for the venerable building, sharing memories of the pool and surprised at how quickly time had passed.

Although the Canada Games pool no longer exists, the city is already working on its replacement, the 10,644 square meter təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Center, being built on an adjacent site.

The new $107 million facility is expected to open in late 2023, while demolition of the old pool is expected to be complete by summer 2024.