Vancouver Park Board passes appropriate swimwear policy

Vancouver Park Board commissioners have voted to pass a staff report clarifying "appropriate" swimwear at the city's pools.

With the passing of the report, the guidelines around appropriate swimwear — which mandates that people's genitalia be covered and disallows long flowing fabric — will become a permanent fixture at Vancouver's aquatic centres.

Park board staff brought the report forward last year as part of a pilot project after staff concerns related to pool users' bathing attire.

In the report, appropriate swimming attire is listed as:

• Bathing suit.
• Swim trunks or board shorts.
• T-shirts and shorts. 
• Burkini.
• Swim hijab, leggings and tunic. 
• Rash guard. 
• Wetsuit.

Unacceptable attire, according to the report, includes items designed for sexual or intimate purposes, clothing that absorbs water and becomes heavy, like jeans and sweatpants, and long, flowing fabrics.

The report clarifies that exposed breasts would be permitted for all people but that swimwear must fully cover the genitals.

Park board commissioners passed the motion Monday with little debate and said the policy will aim not to be "one size fits all" and evolve as needed.

In the one year since the pilot project began, the staff report says they only received one note of feedback to the city's 311 line.

That feedback was regarding topless women requesting the park board require female users to cover their chests.

Consultation with 2SLGBTQ+ groups

Peter Fox, the park board's manager of recreation services, said last year that the guidelines were brought forward because staff members at pools were requesting them after a number of incidents.

"We can't ask people to leave unless we have a policy to speak to that," he said. 

Staff emphasized that they took an equity-centred approach to creating the new guidelines and wanted people of all sexual orientations, races and genders to feel comfortable wearing what they consider appropriate attire. 

The staff report says they consulted with 2SLGBTQ+ community groups about their experience conducting swimming programs, and there was no direct reference to the new swim attire policy.

"There were concerns expressed at the park board meeting that the policy would marginalize some groups," the report reads.

"However, there has been no feedback indicating that this has occurred or issues identified during the one-year pilot period."

A majority of staff are pleased with the swimwear policy, according to the report, with staff saying that it allowed them to clearly respond to any questions from users.