Ottawa’s four supervised beaches will officially open for the 2010 summer season on Saturday, June 19. Ottawa's beaches – Britannia, Westboro, Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island – are great for splashing and swimming, and offer outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity for recreation and sports like volleyball or Ultimate. Lifeguards are on duty every day from noon to 7 p.m., but other beach amenities vary depending on the location. For a detailed description of each beach, visit ottawa.ca/recreation.
Every day during the beach season, Ottawa Public Health takes water samples from all four beaches and tests for bacteria levels. If unusually high levels of bacteria are found, a ‘no swim’ advisory is issued.
Residents are reminded to check the daily updates on water quality before they head to the beach. Starting June 19, updates will be available by calling the City at 3-1-1 or 613-580-6744, ext. 13219, via RSS feeds, on twitter.com/ottawahealth or at ottawa.ca/health. Site signage and flag indicators will also indicate whether a ‘no swim’ advisory is in effect at that location.
City beaches will close for the season on Sunday, August 22.
The City of Ottawa wishes all residents a safe and active summer.