The Pan Am's commissioners were motivated by an ambitious social policy of providing recreational opportunities to a wide population.

At the time of its completion, the pool facility placed among the top five in the world and featured the only 10-metre (33 ft) diving tower in Canada.

However, Metro Councillor Jack Willis stated at the time that if they were to apply for provincial and federal grants, a much better, indoor swimming pool could be built for the Games and used afterwards.

[5] By January 1964, little progress had been made, and there were important details that needed to be finalized over the shape of the pool – L-shaped or parallel rectangles.

Winnipeg Alderman Lillian Hallonquist, at a January 1966 Finance Committee meeting, stated "the whole location is wrong" because the Grant Park site would not be easily accessible from other parts of the metro area.

Alderman Grant McLeod expressed fears that Pan Am Pool would become a financial white elephant after the Games were over.

[8] The deal was approved in a vote at a January 17, 1966, City Council meeting, and 8.75 acres of city-owned property was exchanged to the Division for the 8-acre pool site.

[12] After cost estimates were made public, the Pan Am Games (1967) Society asked Ottawa for an additional $1.5 million in funding.

Vaughn L. Baird, chairman of the Canadian Council of Diving, urged all those involved in the project to accelerate the process:There is little construction time left.

denied that the venue would be incomplete for the games in early July, despite that the majority of the interior, electrical and mechanical work was unfinished in mid-May.

Two thousand people packed the stands for the ceremony which included federal finance minister Mitchell Sharp, Manitoba Attorney General Sterling Lyon and Winnipeg mayor Steven Juba, pouring bottles of water from the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans into the pool from the bulkhead.

[4] At the time of its completion, the pool facility placed among the top five in the world and featured the only 10-metre (33 ft) diving tower in Canada.

[24] In 2018, major renovations were announced to the ceiling, lighting and public address system, the upgrades expected to cost $2.6 million.

It operated as a privately run clinic from its initial opening until 2001, when the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) assumed responsibility for it.