The sprawling indoor pools and fitness equipment of Watermania have served as a recreational anchor

The $49.4 Million Showdown Over Watermania

The sprawling indoor pools and fitness equipment of Watermania have served as a recreational anchor in Richmond. Now, that facility sits at the center of a high-stakes municipal battle.

The City of Richmond registered an expropriation notice for the property in July 2026, setting the stage for a contentious legal showdown. An official inquiry into the expropriation of Watermania from its private landowner is scheduled to begin on November 30.

At stake is a piece of civic infrastructure valued at roughly $49.4 million. Located on Entertainment Boulevard at the south end of No. 6 Road, the facility houses a city-run pool and fitness center.

The city leased the land in 1997, with that agreement slated to expire in March 2027. When municipal officials filed their notice with the Land Title office on July 6, 2026, they pointed to the “public interest” and the need to ensure the “continued delivery of essential community services.” According to municipal filings, the move supports “responsible long-term financial and asset management.”

Lease Breakdown and Legal Claims

The path to expropriation was paved by a breakdown in negotiations earlier this year. In January 2026, the property owner and the city sat down to hammer out a new lease.

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Those talks stalled. According to a request for an inquiry filed by Owen Bird Law on behalf of the owner, the city offered to renew the lease under the same terms but “for a base rent that was less than the amount the city was paying under the current lease.”

The legal filing claims that when the owner pushed back against the lower rent, the city stopped communicating. Documents also reveal that when the city negotiated the original agreement in 1995, it “chose not to include an option to buy the lands.”

The owner’s legal representation argues that the city doesn’t need to expropriate the land in order to achieve its objective of “continued delivery of essential community services,” rather it can achieve its goal with a new lease.

Malcolm Brodie told the Richmond News that the acquisition falls under the category of “parks and recreation” and that officials are “confident” in their jurisdiction.

A Complicated Territorial Land Claim

Adding another layer of uncertainty to the proceedings is an overlapping indigenous land claim. The property sits within the Cowichan Tribes claim area.

The Cowichan Tribes ruling, however, only affects land owned by the city, the province and the federal government. The city, along with the provincial and federal governments, are appealing the Cowichan Tribes decision.

The inquiry request notes if the appeal is unsuccessful, “then the Lands would be forfeited to the Cowichan Tribe and the City would have wasted at least $50 million, rather than making a ‘responsible long-term financial’ decision referenced in the expropriation notice.”

To oversee the upcoming proceedings, the Attorney General appointed retired B.C. Supreme Court Justice George Macintosh. Five days have been scheduled for the inquiry.

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