The City of Vancouver plans to move ahead with the demolition of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre after the B.C. Supreme Court dismissed a legal challenge to the facility’s planned renewal.

The Protecting Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society challenged the authority of the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation to proceed with the renewal project.

Justice Christopher Giaschi ruled that the city and the Park Board acted reasonably in revising plans for a 50-m pool to a 25-m pool, according to CBC News.

The group argued that the change did not reflect voters’ expectations. Vancouver voters approved borrowing $103 million for the project in a 2022 plebiscite.

The group pointed to public statements by the city before the vote describing a 50-m replacement pool. Giaschi found that the plebiscite question itself did not specifically identify a 50-m pool.

The city and Park Board plan to proceed with the demolition of the existing facility. The aquatic centre closed earlier this summer, and crews have already started preparing the site for demolition.

Demolition is expected to begin in early October, according to the city.

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation says the facility has reached the end of its functional lifespan. The city has not provided a timeline for completing the renewal.

The new aquatic centre will include a 25-m lap pool, a dedicated diving tank, and a leisure pool.