Greater Victoria Pool Access Survey

We are a group of coaches, swim club parents, swimmers, and pool users advocating for adequate aquatic space in the Greater Victoria area. Pool capacity in our region has been shrinking: the UVic McKinnon pool closed two years ago, Crystal Pool in Victoria is closing to be rebuilt, and the downtown YMCA — intended as an interim replacement — has significantly fewer lanes than Crystal Pool did, and is undergoing extended maintenance. Similar losses are happening elsewhere in Canada (Vancouver Aquatic Centre being rebuilt as a 25m pool instead of 50m, Acadia University's pool closing, the University of Alberta ending its swim program), which shows this is part of a broader, worsening pattern.

We want to hear from everyone who uses, or has tried to use pool space in Greater Victoria: recreational and lane swimmers, seniors, people with mobility challenges, competitive and masters swimmers, artistic swimming, triathlon, and water polo participants, Red Cross / Learn-to-Swim families, and anyone else. Your responses will be compiled and presented to municipal councils, the CRD, provincial sport ministry officials, and pool managers to demonstrate the real impact of the current shortage.

This survey is anonymous unless you choose to share your name and email. Please send this survey to any group or person you know that may have an interest. Questions about this survey can be directed to info@crdwave.ca. Thank you for helping us make the case for more pool space.

Question Title

1. Which municipality do you reside in?

Central Saanich

Colwood

Esquimalt

Highlands

Juan de Fuca (Electoral Area)

Langford

North Saanich

Oak Bay

Saanich

Salt Spring Island

Southern Gulf Islands (Electoral Area)

Sidney

Sooke

Victoria

View Royal

Other

Question Title

2. Which of the following describes how you (or your household) use pool facilities? Select all that apply.

Recreational / public / lane swimming

Learn-to-swim or Red Cross swim lessons (child)

Learn-to-swim or Red Cross swim lessons (adult)

Competitive club swimming

Masters swimming

Triathlon

Artistic (synchronized) swimming

Water polo

Aquafit, therapy, or rehabilitation programs

Senior-specific swim programs

Mobility-adapted / accessible swimming

Lifeguard or instructor training/certification

Other

Question Title

3. Which pool(s) do you currently use, or have you tried to use, in the past 2 years? Select all that apply.

Saanich Commonwealth Place

Gordon Head Recreation Centre

Oak Bay Recreation Centre

Esquimalt Recreation Centre

Panorama Recreation Centre (Central/North Saanich/Sidney)

SEAPARC Recreation Centre (Sooke)

West Shore Parks & Recreation / Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre (Colwood/Langford)

Crystal Pool (prior to closure)

YMCA-YWCA Victoria (downtown)

Q Centre / Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence

University of Victoria pool (prior to closure)

Other

Question Title

4. In the past 2 years, have you or your household experienced any of the following? Select all that apply.

Placed on a waitlist for a program or lane time

Unable to register at all — program full before we could get in

A program was cancelled or reduced because of pool space shortages

Had to travel to a different municipality to find space

Had to switch clubs, programs, or instructors due to space

Paid more (private lessons, other facilities) because of limited public/club space

None of the above

Question Title

5. Were you directly affected by any of these specific closures or reductions? Select all that apply.

UVic pool closure

Crystal Pool closure (rebuild)

Downtown YMCA reduced lane space (as Crystal Pool interim replacement)

Not directly affected by a specific closure

Another closure or reduction not listed

Question Title

6. If you answered yes above, please describe how that closure or reduction affected you or your household.

Question Title

7. Overall, how would you rate current pool access (lane time, program availability, scheduling) in your area?

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Very poor

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Very poor

Question Title

8. Are you a senior, or do you or someone in your household have a disability or mobility challenge that affects access to pool facilities?

Yes

Prefer not to say

This helps us understand equity gaps in access. You're welcome to skip this question.

Question Title

9. If yes, what specific barriers have you faced (e.g., accessible change rooms, lift availability, program timing, staff training)?

Question Title

10. How has limited pool space affected your household overall? (e.g., cost, travel time, missed opportunities, impact on a child's development or a competitive athlete's training)

Question Title

11. In your view, what would most improve pool access in the Capital Region? Select all that apply.

More lane/pool space overall (new or expanded facilities)

More program time slots / longer operating hours

Faster rebuild timeline for Crystal Pool

Better coordination of scheduling across municipalities

Lower program costs

Improved accessibility features

Better communication about availability/waitlists

Other

Question Title

12. Would you be willing to have your story (with or without your name) shared publicly or with elected officials as part of this advocacy effort?

Yes, and you can use my name

Yes, but please keep it anonymous

Maybe — contact me first

Greater Victoria Pool Access Survey

Question Title

1. Which municipality do you reside in?

Question Title

2. Which of the following describes how you (or your household) use pool facilities? Select all that apply.

Question Title

3. Which pool(s) do you currently use, or have you tried to use, in the past 2 years? Select all that apply.

Question Title

4. In the past 2 years, have you or your household experienced any of the following? Select all that apply.

Question Title

5. Were you directly affected by any of these specific closures or reductions? Select all that apply.

Question Title

6. If you answered yes above, please describe how that closure or reduction affected you or your household.

Question Title

7. Overall, how would you rate current pool access (lane time, program availability, scheduling) in your area?

Question Title

8. Are you a senior, or do you or someone in your household have a disability or mobility challenge that affects access to pool facilities?

Question Title

9. If yes, what specific barriers have you faced (e.g., accessible change rooms, lift availability, program timing, staff training)?

Question Title

10. How has limited pool space affected your household overall? (e.g., cost, travel time, missed opportunities, impact on a child's development or a competitive athlete's training)

Question Title

11. In your view, what would most improve pool access in the Capital Region? Select all that apply.

Question Title

12. Would you be willing to have your story (with or without your name) shared publicly or with elected officials as part of this advocacy effort?

Question Title

13. Any additional comments you'd like to share?

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14. If you'd like to share your name, please do so below. (Optional)

Question Title

15. If you'd like to share your email address, please do so below. (Optional — only used if you've asked us to follow up.)

Greater Victoria Pool Access Survey

Question Title

* 1. Which municipality do you reside in?

Question Title

* 2. Which of the following describes how you (or your household) use pool facilities? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 3. Which pool(s) do you currently use, or have you tried to use, in the past 2 years? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 4. In the past 2 years, have you or your household experienced any of the following? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 5. Were you directly affected by any of these specific closures or reductions? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 6. If you answered yes above, please describe how that closure or reduction affected you or your household.

Question Title

* 7. Overall, how would you rate current pool access (lane time, program availability, scheduling) in your area?

Question Title

* 8. Are you a senior, or do you or someone in your household have a disability or mobility challenge that affects access to pool facilities?

Question Title

* 9. If yes, what specific barriers have you faced (e.g., accessible change rooms, lift availability, program timing, staff training)?

Question Title

* 10. How has limited pool space affected your household overall? (e.g., cost, travel time, missed opportunities, impact on a child's development or a competitive athlete's training)

Question Title

* 11. In your view, what would most improve pool access in the Capital Region? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 12. Would you be willing to have your story (with or without your name) shared publicly or with elected officials as part of this advocacy effort?

Question Title

* 13. Any additional comments you'd like to share?

Question Title

* 14. If you'd like to share your name, please do so below. (Optional)

Question Title

* 15. If you'd like to share your email address, please do so below. (Optional — only used if you've asked us to follow up.)

1. Which municipality do you reside in?

2. Which of the following describes how you (or your household) use pool facilities? Select all that apply.

3. Which pool(s) do you currently use, or have you tried to use, in the past 2 years? Select all that apply.

4. In the past 2 years, have you or your household experienced any of the following? Select all that apply.

5. Were you directly affected by any of these specific closures or reductions? Select all that apply.

6. If you answered yes above, please describe how that closure or reduction affected you or your household.

7. Overall, how would you rate current pool access (lane time, program availability, scheduling) in your area?

8. Are you a senior, or do you or someone in your household have a disability or mobility challenge that affects access to pool facilities?

9. If yes, what specific barriers have you faced (e.g., accessible change rooms, lift availability, program timing, staff training)?

10. How has limited pool space affected your household overall? (e.g., cost, travel time, missed opportunities, impact on a child's development or a competitive athlete's training)

11. In your view, what would most improve pool access in the Capital Region? Select all that apply.

12. Would you be willing to have your story (with or without your name) shared publicly or with elected officials as part of this advocacy effort?

13. Any additional comments you'd like to share?

14. If you'd like to share your name, please do so below. (Optional)

15. If you'd like to share your email address, please do so below. (Optional — only used if you've asked us to follow up.)