With the arrival of warmer weather, the City of Toronto will open 10 outdoor pools tomorrow, Saturday, June 17, to help residents beat the heat and enjoy a refreshing swim.
The continued opening of 10 of the City’s outdoor pools earlier in June demonstrates the City’s dedication to the wellbeing and happiness of residents. The City aims to promote physical wellbeing and encourage an active lifestyle, while providing a safe and enjoyable recreational experience for individuals and families throughout Toronto.
The 10 outdoor pools will run on a partial schedule (Monday to Friday, 4 to 8 p.m. and weekends, noon to 8 p.m.):
The remaining outdoor City pools will open on Saturday, June 24, also on a partial schedule. Full schedules will begin at all locations on Friday, June 30. The City’s 90 supervised wading pools will also open on June 30.
Residents can check each location for hours of operation on the City’s Swim & Water Play webpage.
People visiting the City’s outdoor pools are reminded that:
Reservations are available for Aquafit only. New reservation spots are released Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. for the following Monday to Sunday.
Pool closures and service interruptions are updated routinely on the City’s Pool Closures & Service Alerts webpage. Pool locations operating normally are not on this list.
Lifeguard supervision at nine City beaches is available seven days a week, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Full lifeguard supervision of the City’s 10 beaches will begin on July 1. Please continue to only swim in designated areas.
Throughout 2022 and 2023, the City worked to recruit new staff and certify existing staff with additional aquatic certifications. While other jurisdictions continue to face lifeguard shortages, the City currently has staffing to supervise all City outdoor pools.
TransformTO Net Zero Strategy
As greenhouse gas emissions globally continue to warm our climate, Toronto is expected to experience more hot days and longer heat events. Opening outdoor pools in mid-June is part of the City’s hot weather response plan to ensure residents – especially those who are vulnerable to the heat – have access to cool spaces. During heat alert days, hours are temporarily extended hours at outdoor pools.
Every summer, the City activates the Heat Relief Network, which is made up of more than 550 publicly accessible cool spaces throughout the city, including libraries, community centres, outdoor pools, wading pools/splash pads and civic centres, as well as some private and non-profit facilities like shopping malls, senior centres and YMCA locations. All available locations can be found by visiting the City’s Cool Spaces Near You webpage: www.toronto.ca/CoolSpaces.
The City’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy set an ambitious target to reduce Toronto’s community-wide greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040. More information about the climate emergency, City programs, grants and incentives and what residents can do to is available on the City’s website.
Filming locations for members of the media
Media requests to film pools can be accommodated at the following locations:
These designated locations will allow media to film from the pool deck without the need to call in advance. Media access will be allowed at these locations only and media must follow the instructions of staff at the site.
Quotes:
“The first 10 outdoor pools opening this weekend is a sure sign of summer in the city, I want to thank our hardworking City staff for opening these 10 pools as early as possible and I wish everyone enjoying our outdoor pools in the weeks and months ahead a happy and fun summer.”
– Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
“I invite everyone to take advantage of this early opening and make the most of the summer season by cooling off in the City’s fantastic outdoor pools. Together, let’s enjoy a safe and fun-filled summer in our wonderful city.”
– Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee
Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.