City opening 10 outdoor pools in Toronto this weekend, launching new online booking system
It is going to feel a lot more like summer in the city this weekend with the reopening of patios and 10 city-run outdoor pools.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Mayor John Tory announced that this weekend, the city will be opening 10 outdoor swimming pools weeks ahead of schedule.
The move comes as Ontario prepares to reopen parts of the economy, including patios and non-essential retail, on Friday following a months-long provincewide lockdown due to the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Ordinarily none of them (outdoor pools) would be opening up until towards the end of the month," Tory said.
"I'm so glad that we can safely open some of the city's outdoor pools, wading pools, and splash pads for everyone to enjoy."
The 10 pools, which include the Sunnyside Gus Ryder facility, will open on Saturday, Tory said, and the remaining outdoor pools will reopen for the season on June 19.
Starting this year, the city will also offer swimmers the option to book a 45-minute time slot through an online reservation system. Reservations can be made starting Thursday and new time slots will be released every Thursday throughout the summer.
Some spaces will be reserved at pools on a first-come, first served basis for those who don't have easy access to a computer.
Capacity at all outdoor pools will be reduced to 25 per cent to allow for adequate physical distancing.
"Staff have worked closely with Toronto Public Health to make sure there are guidelines in place to ensure that people can swim safely at all of Toronto's pools," Tory said.
Outdoor pools will close for the season after the Labour Day weekend.
Here is a list of the 10 outdoor pools that will open on June 12:
Alex Duff – 779 Crawford St.
Monarch Park Pool – 115 Felstead Ave.
Heron Park CC – 292 Manse Rd.
Grandravine CC – 23 Grandravine Dr.
McGregor CC – 2231 Lawrence Ave. E.
Parkway Forest CC – 59 Forest Manor Rd.
Pine Point – 15 Grierson Rd.
Riverdale Park – 550 Broadview Ave.
Sunnyside-Gus Ryder – 1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
West Mall – 380 The West Mall
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.