Public Health has signed off on the creation of a beach behind the Verdun Auditorium, a project first proposed for Montreal's 375th anniversary.
The health department concluded that the river water in that area is clean enough for swimming, although the new beach may have to close temporarily after heavy rainfall if a lot of E.coli bacteria is washed into the shoreline.
Verdun's mayor is looking forward to the inauguration of the beach next spring, and says it will be a tranquil place, not a party spot. It will feature a swimming area supervised by lifeguards and a playground for children.
"That will be not a beach club," says Jean-Francois Parenteau. "You will have a library on the beach. We will have a place if you want to read the books."
Once the final permits are issued in the coming days, crews will lay down a layer of sand under the water, their work wrapping up shortly before Christmas.