North Vancouver's $230M Harry Jerome Rec Centre Opens: Olympic-Sized Pools, NHL Rink, and Indoor Slide Await

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North Vancouver Unveils Its Mega $230-Million Recreation Centre — The North Shore's Largest Ever

After more than two decades of planning, debate, and construction, the Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre has officially swung open its doors in North Vancouver. The sprawling 190,000-square-foot complex now stands as the largest community recreation facility on the North Shore and one of the most ambitious of its kind anywhere in Metro Vancouver.

City officials welcomed the first visitors this morning with tours, live entertainment, and activity demonstrations inside the Central Lonsdale landmark. Together with the adjacent Silver Harbour Seniors' Activity Centre, the combined project carries a $230-million price tag and spans roughly 328,000 square feet — a monumental investment for a municipality of just over 60,000 residents.

From Controversy to Completion

The road here wasn't smooth. An earlier $237-million vision was scrapped after the 2018 civic election, then trimmed to $182 million by downgrading the competition pool from 50 to 25 metres, axing a curling rink and second gym, and slashing parking from 600 stalls to under 300. Pandemic-era inflation and surprise soil remediation still nudged the final tally to $230 million — but Mayor Linda Buchanan calls the result a triumph of persistence.

What's Inside: 4 Pools, a Lazy River, and a Full Spa

The aquatic centre is the undisputed headliner: four pools including a 25-metre lap pool and a leisure pool with a winding lazy river, spray features, and a dedicated toddler zone. Divers get a three-metre platform, a three-metre springboard, and two one-metre boards. Post-swim, visitors can unwind in the family hot pool, an adults-only hot pool, steam room, dry sauna, or outdoor patio.

The filtration system deserves its own mention — it's only the second gravity-fed drum system installed in any Canadian rec facility, cutting energy and water use by up to 50%.

NHL-Sized Ice Rink Plus a Full Gymnasium

An NHL-regulation arena with 500-seat capacity anchors the dry-sports side, suitable for hockey, ringette, public skating, lacrosse, and more. Clever engineering captures heat from ice-making and redirects it to warm the pool water, all powered by a greener CO₂ refrigeration system.

The complex rounds out with a full gymnasium, eight multi-use rooms, a fitness centre, indoor walking track, art studio, community kitchen, and dedicated youth and preschool spaces. A Nomad café will open in one of the retail units.

The Fun Factor: An Indoor Slide

Perhaps the most talked-about feature is the indoor slide spiraling from the second floor to the ground level — the centrepiece of a soaring atrium designed for gatherings and events. Outdoors, visitors will find a brand-new skate park, nature play area, children's playground, multi-sport court, and a 270-stall underground parkade.

Accessibility at Its Core

The Harry Jerome centre is pursuing Rick Hansen Foundation Gold certification, with pool ramps, lift access to the adults-only hot pool, adult-sized change tables, braille signage, tactile directories, hearing loops, and accessible-height kitchen workstations throughout. It's also earned the Canada Green Building Council's Zero Carbon Building Design Standard, projected to use 53% less energy than a conventional design.

Honouring a Canadian Icon

The centre retains the name of Harry Jerome — the North Vancouver-raised track star who set world records, claimed an Olympic bronze, and represented Canada across three Summer Games before becoming a tireless advocate for youth sport and diversity. Five public artworks, including a striking mural and portrait of Jerome, fill the building.

Plan Your Visit

Drop-in activities begin Monday, July 27, with full programming rolling out by September 2026. The aquatic centre opens later this fall. With its highway-visible location and one-of-a-kind amenities, NVRCC directors expect heavy demand from across Metro Vancouver — so arrive early, and don't forget to try the slide.