Vancouver Park Board - Polar Bear Swim

Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club

Brief History of the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim

Held at English Bay, Vancouver on January 1st - 2:30pm yearly

The New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim began in 1920 when the late Peter Pantages organized the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club. Membership in the new club, at that time, consisted of ten persons. They used the basement of the Sylvia Hotel as a changing and assembling area prior to taking the plunge in English Bay. Later, because of the increase in participation, the Polar Bear Swim Club used the Vancouver Swimming Club headquarters just west of the English Bay pier as their assembly and pre-plunge headquarters. The swim commenced in the water adjacent to the club headquarters and the swim of approximately 300 yards around the pier took place.

The coldest water temperature recorded during this period was 3°C (38°F) in 1928. This temperature has since been recorded twice in 1982 and 1985. The water temperature averages 6°C (43°F) and has varied from the low of 3°C (38°F) to a high of 9°C (48°F) in 1992, 2000, 2005 and 2010.

Participation continued to increase and in 1952 the Supervisor of Beaches and Pools (of that time), Mr. George Burrows, became concerned that there was little control and some swimmers were going out too far. Although the Park Board had loaned some boats for the Press and volunteer watchers, it was decided that the Park Board should expand its participation in the event and provide an acceptable level of lifeguard and first aid service to ensure that the event was safely conducted. The Park Board has continued to provide this service for the Polar Bear participants.

Polar Bear Swim Around the 1950s, the participation was approximately 250 to 300 swimmers, and six lifeguards and one supervisor were used for safety supervision. Today, anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 swimmers participate (record to-date 2,246 in 2011) and 5,000 to 10,000 spectators making it necessary for the Park Board to construct a fenced enclosure for the swimmers. Safety supervision has also increased to 12 lifeguards plus registration staff. In 1992, Mr. Scott McWilliam, Advertising Manager of Vancouver Magazine made application to the Guiness Book of Records to have the swim recorded as the largest in the world. However, the event was considered too unique to be entered although his letter was placed on file. In 1985, a full story and pictures were in the winter issue of National Geographic Traveller. In 1979, the film class from Simon Fraser University made a complete movie of the event.

In the 1960s and 1970s a specially designed certificate was presented to each swimmer; however, as numbers grew a quicker method of registration and recognition was needed. In 1979, staff approached personnel of the Vancouver Province Newspaper to explore the possibility of them becoming involved in the event, particularly to assist with promotion and registration. The newspaper Promotion Department staff agreed that the swim was an event they would like to get involved with and, as a result, designed a registration form which they publish in their newspaper a number of times just prior to New Year's Day.

This method enables the organizers to handle the registration more effectively. In addition, the Province Newspaper and the Park Board distribute souvenir buttons each year to all those who participate in the swim. They also provide on-site staff during the swim to provide assistance with registration and distribution of buttons.

Peter Pantages was Founder and President of the Polar Bear Club for over 50 years and was succeeded by his son, Basil, after his death in 1971. Basil, his brother Tony's children Tony Jr., John and Lisa continue as regular dippers in the event today. Unfortunately, Tony, Sr. a great booster of the Swim, passed away a few years ago. Lisa has now succeeded Basil as club President. In memory of Peter, an annual swim of 100 yards was established in 1972. A memorial trophy and keeper trophies are presented to the first three swimmers to reach the marker buoy.

2012 Event Button Tremendous publicity for Vancouver has been received through the media of television and radio. Footage of the swim has been shown on television in England, Australia and across Canada. In 2002, CNN came up from their Seattle bureau to film and participate in the event. Their TV clips were seen worldwide spawning e-mails from as far away as Russia. A live radio report was done to 2 million listeners in Japan in 1999 and to New York State in 2002. Enquiries have been received from Siberia (Russia), Korea, Japan, Australia, New York, Washington, Oregon, California, West Virginia, Alaska, Ohio, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland to name a few places. Swimmers from all around the world have participated: United States, Great Britain, Holland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Colombia, Switzerland, Japan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark to name a few countries. In 1986, Vancouver made the Polar Bear Swim the first event of the Centennial year, with a special certificate designed and signed by the Mayor of Vancouver and the President of the Polar Bear Club.

One other item of interest concerning this event is that Ivy Granstrom, a well-honoured blind athlete and holder of many world records in her age group, known as Queen of the Polar Bears, participated once again on January 1, 2004. At 92 years of age, she was also the oldest person to be involved with the swim. That year she came to the water's edge in her bathing suit but had three police women take the plunge in her honour. Afterwards, Ivy announced to the crowd her retirement. Ivy has told organizers that she hasn't missed a swim dating back to when she first became a Polar Bear in 1928. She claims this was her 77th anniversary of the Swim - a fantastic feat.

Unfortunately, Ivy passed away on April 14, 2004.

At the 2005 Swim, Derek Laverty and Ivy were honoured. Derek was the Coordinator of Aquatics for the Park Board who organized the swim for 25 years until his retirement in 1994. Derek passed away in October, 2004. Ivy was also honoured by having six policewomen in their uniforms take the plunge at the start of the event.

The year 2013 will mark the 93^rd year of the Polar Bear Swim!