**** HRM Media Release
Outdoor pools and beaches opening for 2024 season
The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents that the Bedford and Cole Harbour outdoor pools, as well as all supervised municipal beaches, will open for the season on Monday, July 1.
The new Halifax Commons Aquatics Facility opened on Saturday, June 15, and the pool schedule can be found here.
Swim passes can be purchased online for both the Bedford and Cole Harbour outdoor pools. Memberships for the Bedford Outdoor Pool can also be purchased in-person at the LeBrun Recreation Centre, and memberships for the Cole Harbour Outdoor Pool can be purchased in-person at the Cole Harbour Recreation Centre.
The Bayers-Westwood, Cole Harbour, Halifax Common, George Dixon, Isleville Street, Sackville, and Westmount and Shirley’s splashpads opened for the 2024 season on Friday, June 14.
The municipality will also begin testing water quality for bacteria levels and monitoring for blue-green algae at all municipally supervised beaches on Monday, July 1. Testing will continue until Saturday, August 31.
High bacteria levels can be caused by a number of factors, including dogs, birds, wildlife, heavy rainfall and impacts from climate change such as high temperatures, lower water levels and decreased rainfall.
In the event of a recreational water quality advisory due to high bacteria levels, staff will continue testing the water and lift the recreational water quality advisory when the results are within Health Canada guidelines for swimming. In the event of a closure due to a possible blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom or mat, staff will investigate the bloom and reopen the beach when the risk of high levels of blue-green algae toxins has passed.
For more information, visit our website.
