Outdoor swim and splash

The City reminds everyone that municipal beaches are now closed for the season, and no longer have lifeguard supervision or water-quality testing. To protect yourself and your family, please do not swim at these locations or any unsupervised waterfronts. 

Water safety

Have fun at the beaches and play safe by following water safety guidelines. For additional information please visit the City of Ottawa’s Safety and supervisory standards in City pools and beaches.

Outdoor pools are closed for the season.

Splash pads will be in operation until September 22, 9 am to 9 pm.

The following splash pads are closed for repairs:

• Atrium Park
• Roy Park
• Walter Baker Park

Wading pools are closed for the season.

Special end of season dog swim: The outdoor pools are wrapping up the season with a one-time dog swim as they drain the pools. Please refer to Outdoor Pools for the schedule.

At certain locations, while the wading pools are being drained, dogs are welcome to splash and play in the remaining water. This usually amounts to about 15 to 30 cm (six to 12 inches) of water.

See the table below for wading pools offering this service along with the scheduled start times.

Start and end times

• Dogs and their owners should not arrive to the site with their dogs until after the public human swimmers have left the area. This may be later than the start time indicated in the chart below. 
• Dog owners who do arrive early with their dogs will be asked to leave or wait before entering the park. Once the pool has closed and been cleared of humans, they will be welcomed to play.
• The time it takes to drain a pool is an estimate and varies by location.
• Dogs and owners are welcome to stay until the pool is completely drained.

Before arriving

Dogs should be walked prior to arriving at the site to reduce risk of urination and defecation on site. Dog waste needs to be picked up by the owner, whether in the pool or in the surrounding area. 

Please note:

1. Wading pool water is chlorinated and contains substantially more chlorine/chloramines than normal drinking water. It is recommended owners supervise their dogs to ensure they are not drinking the wading pool water and it is best to give them a hose off or shower at home afterwards.
2. There may be days where the wading pool is closed or closes early due to staffing shortages, poor weather or other unforeseen issues. 
3. Dog owners must ensure their dog does not bite or attack residents, staff or other animals and must ensure they are following the Animal Care and Control Bylaw (2003-077). 
4. For health reasons, dog owners are not permitted to join their dog in the wading pool but can easily stand by and watch the joy of their dogs at play.