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We finally have a date for the Crystal Pool’s closure—and it’s going to leave the City of Victoria without a public pool for at least a few months. Check out our first story for more details.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

Today: ☀ 26 / 13

Tomorrow: ☀ 26 / 15

Day after: ☀ 23 / 15

7-day forecast

If you're hoping to take one last dip in the Crystal Pool before it's demolished, you've got just over a month left. 

The City of Victoria says the Crystal will permanently close on Sept. 25 and work will begin on the city's new $209M pool and fitness centre. Construction on that project is slated to finish in 2030.

The closure will leave Victoria residents without a nearby pool until at least next year. The city planned to relocate the Crystal's fitness and aquatic offerings to the former YMCA/YWCA building, having taken over the building's lease at the beginning of the year. 

But a massive pipe leak at the Broughton facility in June led to significant water damage that is still being assessed nearly two months later. The leak upended plans to time the Crystal's closure with Y's reopening.

The city says it now anticipates the former Y, which will be renamed Victoria Recreation Centre, will open in early 2027. 

The rec centre will offer "expanded fitness areas, multi-purpose rooms, a gymnasium, and squash courts," but will have reduced aquatic capacity due to the pool's smaller size, the city said. There will be fewer drop-in swim sessions, with priority instead going to swimming lessons, aquafit, and swim clubs. Unlike the Crystal, the facility won't have a hot tub, sauna, or steam room. 

Information about programs and schedules at Victoria Rec Centre will be available later this year, according to the city.

According to the city, Crystal Pool sees up to 1,500 visits per day—while it's out of commission, those patrons can head to Esquimalt Recreation Centre, Oak Bay Recreation Centre, Commonwealth Place, and the Gordon Head Recreation Centre.

Traffic disruptions on Hwy 1: Starting today, expect lane closures and delays on Saanich at Boleskine and Douglas at Highway 1 for the next three weeks. [Saanich]

Road closure in Elk/ Beaver Lake Park: Bear Hill will be closed this morning until 10:30am. [CRD]

Section of Thetis Lake main parking lot closed: Starting today, crews will be restoring the park's log sign. [CRD]

Saanich road closure: Cedarwood, between McKenzie and Teakwood, will be closed today and tomorrow. 8am-3pm. [Saanich]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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A team of women scientists, strategists—including a Victoria environmental planner—and Indigenous swimmers are five days into a monumental relay swim on the Mainland. 

Their goal is a big one—the swim will last 30 days, spanning 1,375 kilometres along the Fraser River. The group kicked off in the glacial waters near Mount Robson and will end their journey at Garry Point in Richmond on Sept. 4.

The relay is the centrepiece of the Fraser River Challenge, an expedition that also features a 1,000-km solo walk by endurance walker Justin Smith.

Together, the team is rallying public support to hold Canada to its commitment to protect 30% of its lands and waters by 2030.

Naomi Devine, a Victoria-based environmental planner and one of the relay’s core swimmers, notes that currently, only 17.6% of the Fraser Rivershed is protected. The team is advocating for First Nations-led conservation projects—specifically Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas to secure the remaining 12.4%.

“That would mean adding another 2.9M hectares, roughly the size of Vancouver Island, as protected areas to the rivershed.”

Devine will be swimming alongside SFU marine ecologist Dr. Isabelle Côté, forest disturbance ecologist Michelle Connolly, and rotating Indigenous swimmers.

To prepare for the demanding conditions, Devine has spent the last couple of years cold-water ocean swimming—though she says the Fraser has unique dangers she's had to learn to navigate.

Read the full story here.

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♥️ Looking for love? Netflix's Love is Blind Canada is now casting.

🐦 One of these geese is not like the other: A greater white-fronted goose appears to have joined a flock of Canada geese in Nanaimo. [Facebook photos]

👵 Adult children of seniors are helping their parents decide whether to age in place. This free guide helps everyone figure it out together.*

📚 New and notable kids books now available at Greater Victoria Public Libraries. [GVPL]

*Sponsored Listing

Graffiti on Royal Theatre wall could cost up to $10K to remove
Spray paint on the exterior of the Royal Theatre could cost $10K-$15K to clean up, according to the venue's operators. The graffiti was applied from the building’s roof to an exterior wall that is currently undergoing structural heritage preservation work. Staff discovered it last week, during the final phase of a multi-year brick repointing project. Performances won't be affected, but resources are being diverted to the cleanup. VicPD is investigating the damage as mischief over $5K. [Black Press]

Work to begin on Thetis Lake sign, log design to remain
After public backlash against 2023 plans to replace it, Thetis Lake Regional Park's iconic log sign will instead be refurbished. The upper sign will be replaced, followed by extensive sandblasting, rot and paint removal, and borate rod injections to extend the life of the wood for another 10 years. The sign's log will remain in place; work is expected to finish this fall. [CHEK]

David Foster surprised by turnout at Inner Harbour show
The David Foster Foundation 40th anniversary concert on Saturday drew an estimated 70,000 people to Victoria's Inner Harbour—a number Foster himself could hardly believe. He said the show, which brought Katharine McPhee, Josh Groban and CeeLo Green to the stage, rivalled bigger city concerts, including Ottawa on Canada Day. Foster called the show a love letter to Victoria and said the reception brought one of his long-time bandmates to tears. [Times Colonist]

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🎶 Mr. Matthews and the Dill Pickle Band: The performers will take the Ship Point busker stage today. 4–5pm. [Info]

🎵 Boneyard Babes: The acoustic roots act will play Ship Point tonight. 5:30–7pm. [Info]

🎸 Eventide—Curated by Analogue Burnout: Hear music from Victoria's independent music scene, including Felisha & The Jazz Rejects, The Phigs, and Thunes, in Centennial Square tonight. 6–10pm. [Info]

🥁 Robin Layne and the Rhythm Makers: The Juno-nominated marimbist will bring his groove-heavy ensemble and new album Pacifico to The Coda tonight. 6:30–8:45pm. [Info]

🥕 VegFest: The vegan festival is back for another year in Centennial Square. Friday & Saturday. [Info]

🎉 Family Fun Day in Beckwith Park: Bring the whole family to enjoy a bounce castle, tasty food, games, and more. Saturday. 12:30-5pm. [Info]

🇻🇳 Soul of Vietnam: Soak in Vietnamese culture, with food, music, and fashion to explore at Ship Point. Sunday. 11am-8pm. [Info]

Tuesday's headlines: Victoria Humane Society takes in 67 animals from wildfire zones; Overabundance of deer has altered Gulf Islands flora. [Aug. 11]

Two DFO officers injured in "incident" between vessel and humpback whale. [CHEK]

Man provides CPR to baby otter in Alert Bay, resuscitates it. [Times Colonist]

Russell Books warehouse sale: Browse thousands of books, all $5 or less. Aug. 14-16, 10am-6pm. [Details]

Gone fishin’: See a photo of the annual children’s fishing derby at the breakwater, captured in the 1960s. [Facebook photo]

Picklefest is this Saturday at Phillips Backyard. [Info]

Moon snail vs clam: See the shelled creatures battle it out. [Facebook video]

Off-road vehicles prohibited on provincial Crown land in some parts of the Coastal Fire Centre, including the South Island, due to wildfire risk. [BC Gov]

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