Where to swim outside in Ottawa this summer

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It’s officially summer, and it’s already a hot one in the nation’s capital.

Ottawa is home to many swimming spots, from beaches, to pools, to lakes. Grab your bathing suit and read on to see where to swim outdoors in Ottawa this season.

Beaches along the Ottawa River

City of Ottawa beaches are located at Mooney’s Bay, Britannia and Petrie Island.

The NCC River House offers enclosed, supervised swimming on the river, with two 25-metre swimming lanes. Open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the river house has a capacity of 125 swimmers and there are no reservations.

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Beaches along and near the river also include Parc des Cèdres, Moussette Park and Parc du Lac-Leamy
in Gatineau as well as the Voyageur and Fitzroy provincial parks.

Outdoor pools in Ottawa

Pools currently open in Ottawa include Bearbrook Pool, Beaverbrook Pool in Kanata, Crestview Pool, Entrance Pool, General Burns Pool, Glen Cairn Pool, Corkstown Pool and Katimavik Pool. Genest Pool is scheduled to open on June 29.

Ottawa’s best-kept secret: The Pond

“The Pond” is an option within the city limits, located in a conservation area beside McKay Lake, off Pond Street in Rockcliffe Park.

Swimming is only available between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., with student monitors patrolling the area during summer months. No public swimming is allowed in McKay Lake.

Ottawa splash pads

More than 100 splash pads are found across the city, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Sept. 15. Locations that are currently closed for repairs include Atrium Park, Eugene Martineau Park, Fallingbrook Park, Joe Jamieson Park, Roy Park and Stonecrest Park.

There are also dozens of wading pools in Ottawa where people can swim for free. Regular hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Friday, noon to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

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The full list of splash pads and wading pools and their hours is available on the City of Ottawa website.

Where to swim in Gatineau?

On the other side of the river, swimming is offered at Lac La Pêche, Lac Leamy, Meech Lake’s O’Brien and Blanchet beaches and Lac Philippe’s Breton and Parent beaches. Smith beach is closed for the season. 

Outdoor swimming is also available at Parc du Lac-Beauchamp beach and at the Parc des Trembles, Parc Larocque, Parc Fontaine, Parc Desjardins, Parc Laurent-Groulx, Parc Eugène-Sauvageau, Parc Bisson, Parc La Vérendrye and Parc Jack-Eyamie outdoor pools. 

Wading pools are found at Parc Front, Parc Saint-Jean, Parc Fontaine, Parc Saint-Rédempteur, Parc Moncion, Parc du Coteau and Parc du Coteau, with several splash pads also located across the city.

When and where are lifeguards stationed?

The Mooney’s Bay, Britannia and Petrie Island beaches open for supervised swimming from noon to 7 p.m. until Aug. 25, with washrooms open until Sept. 2.

There will be no lifeguard supervision at Westboro Beach in 2024 due to construction.

The city strongly recommends that residents swim in designated swimming areas during supervised hours.

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“In general, the city is currently in a position to meet lifeguard staffing requirements for this summer at indoor pools, outdoor pools and beaches,” Tracey McGarry, the City of Ottawa’s director of complexes, aquatics and special services previously told this newspaper. “The pandemic did create staffing challenges and reduced our ability to certify new lifeguards when provincial restrictions were in place, but these challenges did not impact daily operation of the Ottawa beaches.”

McGarry says there is “comprehensive signage” at all city beaches, detailing both water quality levels, safety regulations and dates and times for lifeguard duty.

Are any of Ottawa’s beaches accessible?

According to the city, beach-accessible wheelchairs are available for free at Mooney’s Bay Beach, Britannia Beach and Petrie Island Beach. No lift is available on site and users are asked to bring someone to push the chair and help with transfers.

Chair availability can be checked by contacting beaches@ottawa.ca.

How to check E. coli levels and water quality

Water samples are collected daily at beaches supervised by the City of Ottawa between June 15 and Aug. 25.

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According to the Ottawa Public Health website, after samples are tested, results take at least 18 hours to process in a lab. That’s why swim advisories are issued based on water sample results from the day before and on the city’s knowledge of water quality at beaches in previous years.

The health department said it doesn’t recommend swimming at beaches if there has been lots of rain, if the E. coli count is more than 200 per 100mL of water in five samples taken the day before, or if it’s aware of a situation that could impact water quality.

Swimming advisories and E. coli results are available on the Ottawa Public Health website.

Are rentals available at Ottawa’s beaches?

Beach volleyballs and stand up paddleboards are available for rent. Reservations aren’t required, though they can be made by contacting beaches@ottawa.ca

Volleyballs courts are available at Mooney’s Bay, Britannia and Petrie Island beaches until Sept. 2 for $63 daily or $20 hourly. Paddleboards, also available until Sept.2, cost $24 per hour.

Is there anything you think should be added to the list? Please reach out to reporter Catherine Morrison at cmorrison@postmedia.com.

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