Pools and beaches opening Canada Day in Halifax Regional Municipality

A file image of Birch Cove Beach. (Source: Halifax Regional Municipality)

Halifax Regional Municipality is opening outdoor swimming pools in Cole Harbour and Bedford for the season, alongside supervised beaches, on July 1.

Hours are also extended for Halifax Common pool and Halifax splash pads, which opened on June 15, said a news release.

The municipality said it will test all supervised beaches for bacteria levels from July 1 until Aug. 31. It said high bacteria can be caused climate change effects and factors including:

• dogs
• birds
• wildlife
• heavy rainfall
• high temperatures
• lower water levels
• decreased rainfall

Staff will continue testing water in the event of a water quality advisory and lift it when bacteria levels are acceptable, said the release.

The municipality said it will also investigate blue-green algae blooms and reopen beaches when they’ve passed.

A full list of municipal beaches is available on the HRM’s website.

The city said Taylor Head Beach is now supervised but Malay Falls is not.

Swim passes for outdoor pools in Bedford and Cole Harbour can now be purchased online. Bedford Outdoor Pool Memberships can be purchased in-person at the LeBrun Recreation Centre. Cole Harbour Outdoor Pool memberships are available in-person at the Cole Harbour Recreation Centre.

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