In the 1950s and ‘60s, the unofficial first day of summer for the people of North Vancouver was the opening day of the Mahon Park Swimming Pool.
The site was built in 1949 and Kay McNamee, a swimmer from North Vancouver who represented Canada at the 1948 Olympics, was awarded the honour of being the first person to dive into the pool.
The swimming season usually spanned from the end of May to early September each year, and, as shown in the picture above from July 1960, the pool was quite a popular place to be in the summer months.
Visit the MONOVA website for more information about the history of the North Shore and to plan your visit to MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, now open at 115 West Esplanade in The Shipyards.
Currently, MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver, at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley, is open by appointment only. Contact: [email protected]
Navigate culture on the North Shore by using the North Shore Culture Compass.
