Vancouver Park Board votes in favour of permanent swimming pool dress code

The Vancouver Park Board voted Monday night in favour of a permanent policy that determines what is considered “appropriate” and “unacceptable” swimwear.

The Attire for Swimming in Public Aquatic Facilities policy went live last year, before being brought back to commissioners to vote on its permanency. Monday’s meeting saw all park board commissioners vote in favour of keeping the swimwear code.

The board informed the public last year that aquatic services staff raised concerns about swim attire and called for a policy to better enforce what can and cannot be worn.

A park board report says a review of the policy’s pilot year found one complaint registered.

“The feedback was regarding topless females and consideration for the park board to mandate female patrons to cover their tops,” the report said.

The policy lists appropriate attire as “attire designed for swimming.” This includes:

• bathing suit,
• swim trunks, board shorts
• t-shirts, shorts
• burkini,
• swim hijab, leggings and tunic
• rash guard
• wet suit.

“Appropriate swimwear allows the body to move freely, does not impede buoyancy and does not create an increased risk to the safety of the bather or lifeguard,” the report said. “Attire for swimming must be clean, must not restrict movement or create a safety hazard, and cannot be clothing worn from the street or workout into the pool.”

Items designed for sexual and or intimate purposes, jeans or sweatpants are considered “unacceptable”.

The policy also says to maintain water quality people are asked to “have control of their bladder and/or bowels.”

“Items such as reusable or disposable swim diapers/pants are to be worn by individuals without sufficient control,” it said.

At the park board meeting, a speaker asked the board to clarify whether ‘speedos’ are considered appropriate swimwear or not because they were harassed at a public pool for wearing one.

The board clarified that this policy can be edited and ‘speedos’ should be added under appropriate attire as many people prefer to swim in those.

-With files from James Paracy and Raynaldo Suarez.