HRM release:

The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents that the Bedford and Cole Harbour outdoor pools, as well as all supervised municipal beaches (pending water testing results), will open for the season on Tuesday, July 1.

A full list of supervised beaches can be found on our website. Please note that Taylor Head Beach will now be supervised and Malay Falls will no longer be supervised.

Swim passes for the Bedford and Cole Harbour outdoor pools can be purchased online. 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 Halifax Common pool, as well as municipal splash pads, opened on Sunday, June 15. Please note these facilities will now have extended hours of operations for the summer.

The municipality will also begin testing water quality for bacteria levels and monitoring for blue-green algae at all municipally supervised beaches on Tuesday, July 1. Testing will continue until Sunday, 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.