Opening dates set for beaches and pools in Ottawa

Despite the cool weather this week, the City of Ottawa announced when outdoor pools, splash-pads and beaches will open this year.

The municipality said in a release that the city’s four beaches are set to open June 21 until Aug. 24. This includes Mooney’s Bay, Britannia, Petrie Island and Westboro, with the possibility of extending the season to Sept. 1 if enough staff remain.

The city said it is trying to implement the extension, and it could apply to as many beaches as possible. The announcement will come at a later date in the summer.

In years past, Ottawa Public Health tested water daily for E. coli bacteria, however, this year it will collect samples weekly. This, according to the memo sent to council, is meeting provincial standards and aligns with most public health units in Ontario.

“Elevated levels of E. coli indicate the potential presence of other disease-causing organisms, which can result in skin, ear, throat or gastrointestinal illnesses,” the health agency noted.

Part of the reason the change was implemented was because water samples took 18 to 24 hours to process, meaning the data put out to the public would be from the day before. The health unit said that the historical sampling at Ottawa beaches has allowed the agency to “build up a solid understanding” of what factors impact E. coli levels.

Nine outdoor pools across the city will open at various times throughout June, with the earliest ones opening on the 9th, including Bearbrook, Crestview, Entrance, General Burns and Genest.

Part of the 2025 budget included three deep water outdoor pools to remain open until September, which are Bearbrook, Crestview and Glen Carin.

“They have been selected to best meet client demand with locations spread across the city,” the memo reads.

On the last day of the season, each pool will host a dog swim following the final public swim. Those details will vary for each location.

Council is allowing 10 wading pools to open on weekends ahead of the formal start to the season. Instead of opening near the end of next month the 10 locations will open June 14.

Splash pads across the city opened May 16, and most are operating 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with weather permitting.