Starting tomorrow, many pools in the city of Montreal can start to open to help you cool off during this very hot and humid weather. But you can expect a different experience thanks to new public health measures.
The city is counting on Montrealers to make sure they are healthy before going to any public pool or beach - you won't be allowed in if you have COVID-19 symptoms, have been in contact with anyone who has the virus or if you've just come back from out of the country in the past 14 days.
You will be expected to have taken a shower, put on sunscreen and put on your bathing suit before arriving at the pool or beach - the locker rooms will be closed but washrooms will be open.
You're going to have to wash your hands before and after swimming.
You will have to respect the rules and physical distancing at all times.
Some boroughs will have to enforce time limits so more people can enjoy the water.
Read the rules at the city of Montreal's website here.
Verdun mayor and executive committee member responsible for citizen services Jean-François Parenteau said two of Verdun's four pools and the Verdun beach will open with more lifeguards on hand. Not for the expected crowds since fewer people will be admitted to allow social distancing, but to manage possible lineups, to count people and to enforce the time limit if necessary - 20 to 30 minutes at a time in the water. If there are lineups outside the facilities, people may be asked to leave after a certain period of time to allow others to go in.
"We need the (lifeguard) staff to make the accounting of the people and to be sure they have a rotation and also we have a lifeguard on the bench to watch the pool," said Parenteau in an interview with CJAD 800.
Parenteau said the challenge for all boroughs is hiring enough lifeguards - Verdun won't be able to open its two other pools if they don't get enough. Parenteau said that so far they've hired half of the 50 staff needed in Verdun and that'll be enough for the two pools and the beach.
Parenteau said there is no reservation system so it's first come, first served.
Capacity at Montreal pools and beaches will be reduced to ensure physical distancing; Parenteau said for a normal pool, that means allowing only a third of people who can normally enter and for beaches, it'll be 20% of the usual capacity. For the Verdun beach, that means 80 people allowed in the area that is monitored by lifeguards. Eight Montreal police cadets will also be patrolling the nearby shoreline to make sure people are social distancing.
Parenteau said they haven't calculated the costs for the extra staff yet.
The official opening date for pools and beaches was Monday but many cities have pushed up the date because of the heat.