Get out your sandals! Ottawa beaches open today

Matthew Nadon, 10, and his brother James Gordon, 13, sit in their inflatable tubes after floating in the Rideau River at Mooney's Bay Beach in Ottawa, on Saturday, June 12, 2021. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Beach season is officially underway with both City of Ottawa and National Capital Commission (NCC) beaches opening this weekend.

Lifeguards will be posted at Mooney's Bay, Britannia Beach and Petrie Island starting Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. until Aug. 25. Washrooms will be open until Sept. 2.

Lifeguards will not be posted at Westboro Beach again this year, due to construction by the NCC at the site. An unsupervised section of the beach is open to the public.

The City of Ottawa recommends swimming at supervised beaches only.

Ottawa Public Health will be conducting daily water quality testing for the presence of E-coli bacteria at supervised beaches this summer. The public health authority updates its dashboard daily with information on water quality daily.

Many of Ottawa's wading pools also opened on Saturday. The pools will be open on weekends only, from noon to 5 p.m.

NCC Beaches

Beaches run by the NCC in Gatineau Park and Leamy Lake Park officially opened on Friday.

Lifeguards will be on duty from June 14 to Sept. 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at beaches on Meech Lake and Philippe Lake, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Leamy Lake.

Visitors are asked to stay in marked swimming areas.

Due to rehabilitation work at the Philippe Lake campground, Smith Beach is closed for the season.

Water quality is tested daily and is available on the NCC's website.

The NCC is also offering free transportation on weekends and public holidays to Meech Creek Valley and Breton Beach until the end of October.