Dear Supporters and Community Members,

We're thrilled to share a significant update in our fight to protect the Vancouver Aquatic Centre and uphold the democratic will of Vancouver voters. After months of dedicated effort, we've officially filed our petition for judicial review in the Supreme Court of British Columbia today, August 18, 2025 - ahead of any potential deadlines. This marks a crucial step forward in challenging the decisions by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and the City of Vancouver that we believe violated the binding 2022 plebiscite mandate for a 50-metre pool renewal.

Over the past several weeks, our team at Protecting Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society (POVACS) has been working tirelessly behind the scenes. We've gathered extensive supporting materials, to build a strong, evidence-based case. This preparation has been thorough and methodical, ensuring every aspect of our petition is backed by facts and legal precedent.

We continue to put in a tremendous amount of time and effort on a daily basis as unpaid volunteers. To use funds most effectively and maximize output, we opted to complete much of the petition/affidavit compilation ourselves (given the months of research already conducted) and retained Bojm, Funt & Gibbons (a firm with deep expertise in civil and municipal law) to complete the filing process for us. The remaining retainer funds will be used by our lawyer for case enhancement and strengthening of arguments rather than preliminary assessment, a strategic decision made by us.

The law firm estimates that we will likely still need in the order of an additional $10,000 once the case goes to trial (for trial preparation and representation in court) so we will need to continue to fundraise to meet that goal. Thank you so much to all those who have donated/contributed and continue to support us in whatever way possible. We see you and appreciate you.

What's Next in the Process?

With the petition now filed, the next phase begins. The respondents (the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and the City of Vancouver) will be served with copies of our filing. They then have an opportunity to file their responses, which typically include affidavits and legal arguments defending their decisions. After that, the court may schedule preliminary hearings to address any procedural matters, followed by the main judicial review hearing where a judge will review the case and decide on our requested relief—such as quashing the unauthorized decisions and enforcing the voter mandate.

We'll keep you updated every step of the way as developments unfold. This is a public interest case about transparency, accountability, and respecting democratic processes, and your continued support makes it possible.

If you'd like to read the full petition or learn more, court documents are publicly accessible through the BC Supreme Court registry. In the meantime, consider donating to our legal fund to help cover costs as we move forward.

Thank you for standing with us—together, we're making a difference for Vancouver's aquatic future!

In solidarity, Jon Girard, Susan Boutwood & Carlie McPhee

Directors, Protecting Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society