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Smack dab in the middle of a scorching two-day heat warning, Sunday offered a final chance for care-free fun in the Ottawa River as the city’s official beach season came to a close.
It left many pondering the same question: Why so soon?
The Citizen spoke with beachgoers at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday, many of whom were surprised to find out they had picked a better time than any for a trip to the river shore.
“It doesn’t make sense since school starts the first week of September,” said Jeff Goubet, 39. “The best way to do it should be to match the calendar to the school calendar.”
Meanwhile, Environment Canada issued a heat warning for Sunday and Monday. Temperatures were forecast to reach 32 C, with humidex readings nearer to 40.
“Until it’s not as hot as today, I’d love to continue going to the beach,” said Kendra Achonwa, 19.
Technically, city beaches are always open for the public to use at their own risk. Accordingly, others at Mooney’s Bay were unworried about the “official” closures.
“It doesn’t really affect us — we still come anyway,” said Sophie Boss, 31.
“It seems short, (but) it doesn’t really bother me,” said Susanne Turner, 41. “I’m sure if I thought about it I could think of 10 other things I’d rather them spend money on.”
Susanne Turner, 41, with her daughter at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday. She said the Ottawa’s beach season “seems short, but it doesn’t really bother me.”
Using the beach in the offseason, however, means no lifeguards on watch and no daily water quality tests to make sure it’s safe to swim in.
The city explained last week that the standardized beach season runs annually from the third Saturday in June to the third Sunday in August. That means the length of each year’s beach season depends upon how the calendar happens to line up. The last couple beach seasons, for example, have been 58 days. But in 2016 it will be 65 days.
According to a statement prepared by the River Ward office of Riley Brockington, the pre-set schedule was, as many have suspected, a cost-control measure.
“The second half of August is generally cooler, and in some areas the French schools are back in school for the last week,” read the statement. “As well, it does become a challenge for staff, since most of them are university students who need to register or leave for classes.”
It also said the parks and recreation department has “sought funding to expand the season a few times” since 2001, but was halted by budget constraints.
Brockington, who lives just steps from Mooney’s Bay, told the Citizen that with the beach regularly “jam packed” over the summer, it can be disheartening to see many of the city’s resources become unavailable while the demand is still there.
“I’m a native Ottawan and I’ve always felt it’s almost depressing, while still in summer, while still out on break before school starts, to see things boarded up … when people are still out and about,” he said.
If the city were to extend its beach seasons, it would have to incur the cost of daily water quality tests and keeping lifeguards and other staff on the payroll longer, among other expenditures.
At city council’s strategic initiative debate in early July, councillors had asked for a combined $75 million for additional parks and recreation projects and services, while the allotment for initiatives in that department was only $2 million, according to Brockington.
“This is something that I certainly would like to revisit, but I fully understand that there are budget constraints,” he said.
The city could consider Gatineau’s beach schedule, which supplements the daily operating schedule in the mid-June to mid-August peak period with additional weekends in early June, late August and early September, which this year brought the total to a 74-day season at its four municipal beaches.
“The majority of people, or at least a large concentration, comes on those weekend days, so that’s a good idea as well,” said Brockington.
Residents seeking some late-summer fun can still go to the city’s outdoor pools, with closing dates between Aug. 16 and Aug. 30, or splash pads, most of which will remain open until Sept. 16. (Dates vary by location, so check Ottawa.ca for info.)
afeibel@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/adamfeibel
Jeff Goubet, 39, with his son at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday. He said the city should “match the (beach season) to the school calendar.”
Jenna Pounder, 22, Emma Steeves, 21, and Kendra Achonwa, 19, at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday. The women were disappointed to hear the beach season was ending so soon: “There’s still a possibility of another two weeks of warm weather,” said Pounder.
查看原文...
It left many pondering the same question: Why so soon?
The Citizen spoke with beachgoers at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday, many of whom were surprised to find out they had picked a better time than any for a trip to the river shore.
“It doesn’t make sense since school starts the first week of September,” said Jeff Goubet, 39. “The best way to do it should be to match the calendar to the school calendar.”
Meanwhile, Environment Canada issued a heat warning for Sunday and Monday. Temperatures were forecast to reach 32 C, with humidex readings nearer to 40.
“Until it’s not as hot as today, I’d love to continue going to the beach,” said Kendra Achonwa, 19.
Technically, city beaches are always open for the public to use at their own risk. Accordingly, others at Mooney’s Bay were unworried about the “official” closures.
“It doesn’t really affect us — we still come anyway,” said Sophie Boss, 31.
“It seems short, (but) it doesn’t really bother me,” said Susanne Turner, 41. “I’m sure if I thought about it I could think of 10 other things I’d rather them spend money on.”
Susanne Turner, 41, with her daughter at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday. She said the Ottawa’s beach season “seems short, but it doesn’t really bother me.”
Using the beach in the offseason, however, means no lifeguards on watch and no daily water quality tests to make sure it’s safe to swim in.
The city explained last week that the standardized beach season runs annually from the third Saturday in June to the third Sunday in August. That means the length of each year’s beach season depends upon how the calendar happens to line up. The last couple beach seasons, for example, have been 58 days. But in 2016 it will be 65 days.
According to a statement prepared by the River Ward office of Riley Brockington, the pre-set schedule was, as many have suspected, a cost-control measure.
“The second half of August is generally cooler, and in some areas the French schools are back in school for the last week,” read the statement. “As well, it does become a challenge for staff, since most of them are university students who need to register or leave for classes.”
It also said the parks and recreation department has “sought funding to expand the season a few times” since 2001, but was halted by budget constraints.
Brockington, who lives just steps from Mooney’s Bay, told the Citizen that with the beach regularly “jam packed” over the summer, it can be disheartening to see many of the city’s resources become unavailable while the demand is still there.
“I’m a native Ottawan and I’ve always felt it’s almost depressing, while still in summer, while still out on break before school starts, to see things boarded up … when people are still out and about,” he said.
If the city were to extend its beach seasons, it would have to incur the cost of daily water quality tests and keeping lifeguards and other staff on the payroll longer, among other expenditures.
At city council’s strategic initiative debate in early July, councillors had asked for a combined $75 million for additional parks and recreation projects and services, while the allotment for initiatives in that department was only $2 million, according to Brockington.
“This is something that I certainly would like to revisit, but I fully understand that there are budget constraints,” he said.
The city could consider Gatineau’s beach schedule, which supplements the daily operating schedule in the mid-June to mid-August peak period with additional weekends in early June, late August and early September, which this year brought the total to a 74-day season at its four municipal beaches.
“The majority of people, or at least a large concentration, comes on those weekend days, so that’s a good idea as well,” said Brockington.
Residents seeking some late-summer fun can still go to the city’s outdoor pools, with closing dates between Aug. 16 and Aug. 30, or splash pads, most of which will remain open until Sept. 16. (Dates vary by location, so check Ottawa.ca for info.)
afeibel@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/adamfeibel
Jeff Goubet, 39, with his son at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday. He said the city should “match the (beach season) to the school calendar.”
Jenna Pounder, 22, Emma Steeves, 21, and Kendra Achonwa, 19, at Mooney’s Bay on Sunday. The women were disappointed to hear the beach season was ending so soon: “There’s still a possibility of another two weeks of warm weather,” said Pounder.
查看原文...
