Pools, beaches in Ottawa to open starting Friday

Splash pads and cooling centres won't be the only ways for Ottawa residents to stay cool, starting this Friday.

The City of Ottawa says it will start opening swimming pools, beaches and wading pools as the province moves to Phase 1 of its reopening plan at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

As of Friday, outdoor deep water swimming pools run by the city will open to a reduced number of swimmers for both public and lane swims. Reservations for one-hour sessions will begin on Thursday at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, June 19, the four city-run beaches open with lifeguards on duty from noon to 7 p.m.

Mooney's Bay, Westboro, Britanniaand Petrie Island beaches will be open every day until Aug. 29, as long as they pass water quality tests.

Ottawa Public Health and the city have also introduced enhanced cleaning measures for beach washrooms, as well as extra portable toilets, new sanitization stationsand outdoor hand-washing stations.

On June 24, the city's wading pools will open. The city says swimmers can reserve30-minute slots when they arrive at the pool.