Beaches open and swimming hours extended in response to the heat wave

Gatineau, June 19, 2020. – Given the current heat wave, the Direction régionale de santé publique de l'Outaouais has given Gatineau the go-ahead to open its beaches sooner. This means that all beaches and outdoor swimming pools and wading pools will open tomorrow, Saturday, June 20. As well, the hours of the facilities listed below will be extended until further notice.

Quick facts

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Outdoor swimming pools, wading pools and the following beaches will remain open an hour longer: - wading pool at parc La Vérendrye, 731 rue Main (Gatineau sector); - swimming pool at parc Fontaine, 120 rue Charlevoix (Hull sector); - swimming pool at parc Eugène-Sauvageau, 179 rue Mutchmore (Hull sector); - swimming pool at parc Laurent-Groulx, 1 rue Lévesque (Hull sector); - swimming pool at parc Desjardins, 1 rue Goyette (Hull sector); - beach at parc des Cèdres, 15 rue Raoul-Roy (Aylmer sector); - beach at parc du Lac-Beauchamp, 741 boulevard Maloney Est (Gatineau sector); and - beach at parc Moussette, 361 boulevard de Lucerne (Aylmer sector).

●	The extended hours will be reassessed daily based on the weather forecasts. - The schedule will be confirmed at the end of each day and updated on gatineau.ca and disseminated through social media. - Individuals can also call the non-emergency call centre at 311.

●	As you know, there are also 39 splash pads open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day in municipal parks.

●	Check the detailed swimming schedules by entering the “swimming” keyword in gatineau.ca.

●	The other outdoor pools and wading pools will be open as usual.

●	In order to maintain physical distances in the water, depending on the size of the pool, a maximum of 30 to 50 people will be allowed in the water at any given time. This represents 30% of the usual capacity.

●	For outdoor swimming pools and wading pools, swimming will be limited to 45 minutes to allow for regular disinfection of surfaces throughout the day.

A few tips for managing during heat waves

●	Keep hydrated throughout the day: - a minimum of one glass of water every 20 minutes is recommended; and - a bottle of ice water or a drink with electrolytes is strongly recommended.

●	Avoid direct exposure to the sun, and use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

●	Wear a hat or a cap.

●	Wear light clothing that allows perspiration vapour to escape, sunglasses and lip balm with sun protection.

●	If you are attending an outdoor event, try to limit your exposure to the sun and try to stay in the shade.

●	Never leave children, seniors or animals unattended in a vehicle, even if the windows are open.

●	Watch for the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion: - dizziness; - vertigo; - headache; - nausea; - unusual tiredness; - confusion; - loss of balance; - altered state of consciousness; or - loss of consciousness.

●	If you get heat stroke, immerse yourself fully clothed in the water to cool off.

Associated link

Outdoor swimming

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