Popular Toronto pool closed for the season due to emergency repairs

A popular outdoor pool in Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood won’t be opening up as planned this summer.

The 50-metre Olympic-sized pool at the Donald D. Summerville Pools complex, at 1867 Lake Shore Boulevard East at Woodbine Avenue, will be off limits to swimmers this season as the pool’s liner needs to be replaced.

Today, the city said staff were working to get the three-pool facility ready for the season and “unexpectedly” found “significant damage” to the liners in both the 25-metre training pool and the 50-metre Olympic pool. All of the pools at the facility were scheduled to fully open at the end of June.

The city said these issues are believed to have been caused by inclement winter weather.

A rush order has been placed for an emergency liner for the 25-metre pool. The city said it expects to open that pool, along with the smaller diving pool, at the end of July.

The facility’s 50-metre pool, however, will remain closed for the 2022 season.

“Staff cannot successfully source and install the pool's liner in time. This pool’s liner and repair will be completed as a part of the planned pool enhancement project in 2023,” the city said in a statement on Friday.

As a result, permits, lane and leisure programs this summer may be relocated to nearby pools at Monarch and Greenwood parks, and the Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre in Leslieville.

Washrooms accessed by the exterior of Donald D. Summerville Pool as well as the food vendor will be open throughout the season, the city said.

On Saturday, June 18, 10 of the city’s outdoor pools are set to open for the season on evenings and weekends. They include Alex Duff Memorial Pool (779 Crawford St.), Heron Heron Park Community Centre (292 Manse Rd.), Grandravine Community Recreation Centre (23 Grandravine Dr.), McGregor Park Community Centre (2231 Lawrence Ave. E.), Parkway Forest Community Centre (59 Forest Manor Rd.), Pine Point Outdoor Pool (15 Grierson Rd.), Sunnyside Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool (1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.), West Mall Outdoor Pool (370 The West Mall), Monarch Park Outdoor Pool (115 Felstead Ave.), and Kiwanis Outdoor Pool (375 Cedervale Ave.)