Six Calgary outdoor pools to open this weekend, smoky air policy being considered
Summertime in Calgary is always filled with tons of outdoor activities, and now it is only a matter of time before Calgarians can cool off in one of the city’s outdoor pools.
“We’ll be opening six pools. We have two that are hopefully opening by the end of June. We’re really hoping for the long weekend they’ll definitely all be open,” said Jennifer Jensen, the executive director of the Calgary Outdoor Swimming Pool Association.
“Everybody in the whole city is going to be swimming in our pools.”
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The pools that will be open on June 17 are Silver Springs, Highwood, Mount Pleasant, Bowview, Stanley Park, and Milligan Ogden Pool.
According to Jensen, the South Calgary and Forest Lawn outdoor pools will still need some care before swimmers can jump in, saying supply chain issues are keeping those pools dry for now.
“It’s just been the same thing that’s been happening over the past few years. We’re just waiting for little pieces of things that need to be [done]. It’s the small stuff that just doesn’t get here in time,” she said.
In addition to the outdoor pools, the Bowness Park wading pool will also be closed for 2023, while the wading pools in Riley Park and Prairie Winds are expected to reopen by the end of June. The Prairie Winds spray park is expected to open at the same time.
The Stanley Park wading pool is closed until further notice.
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Air quality policy under consideration
Calgary is under sunny skies, but wildfire smoke can and will come to the city throughout the summer.
As a result, Jensen says the city is working through the details of a new smoke policy, which would shut things down when the air quality deteriorates for the health of swimmers and lifeguards.
“We can’t expect them to work outside in that, and I can’t really offer them an inside job when the pool’s outside. That is the problem,” Jensen said.
“We’re looking out for the safety of patrons, for the safety of staff.”
More information on the city’s outdoor pools can be found online.
