The Watermania Inquiry Date Set as Richmond Pursues Expropriation
An independent public inquiry into the City of Richmond’s move to expropriate the land beneath the Watermania aquatic facility is officially scheduled to begin on November 30, according to local reporting from the Richmond News.
The municipal government first registered an expropriation notice for the property with the Land Title office on July 6. City officials maintained that securing ownership of the site serves the public interest by guaranteeing the continued delivery of essential community services, pointing to responsible long-term financial and asset management as the driving rationale behind the legal maneuver.
Located on Entertainment Boulevard at the south end of No. 6 Road, the facility houses a city-run pool and fitness centre. The municipality originally leased the underlying land in 1997, with that agreement structured to expire in March 2027.
Lease Negotiations Break Down Over Base Rent Figures
The path to expropriation accelerated after talks for a new contract stalled. In January 2026, the private landowner and the city sat down to negotiate a fresh lease to replace the one nearing its expiration. Owen Bird Law, acting on behalf of the property owner, stated in an inquiry request that the municipality offered to renew the agreement under identical terms save for one major adjustment: a base rent lower than what the city had been paying under the existing contract.
According to the legal filing, negotiations ground to a halt when the landowner didn’t agree to the lower rent, prompting the city to cease communication entirely before filing the expropriation notice.
When the initial agreement was struck in 1995, the city chose not to include an option to buy the land. Legal representatives for the owner argue that expropriation is unnecessary to keep the aquatic centre running, noting that a new lease would achieve the city’s stated goals without forcing an acquisition.
Weighing Jurisdiction Against Indigenous Land Claims
Outgoing Mayor Malcolm Brodie defended the municipal government’s authority, telling the Richmond News that taking over the facility falls under the broad category of parks and recreation and that leadership remains confident in its legal jurisdiction to proceed.
The stakes are high. The property is valued at approximately $49.4 million and sits within the Cowichan Tribes claim area. While a ruling involving the Cowichan Tribes affects lands owned directly by the city, province, and federal governments, all three levels of government are currently appealing that decision.
Should the appeal be unsuccessful, the disputed lands would be forfeited to the Cowichan Tribes, leaving the city out at least $50 million rather than executing the responsible long-term financial decision cited in the original expropriation notice.
The Attorney General appointed retired B.C. Supreme Court Justice George Macintosh to oversee the inquiry.
