Hamilton to open outdoor pools on time

Hamiltonians can start marking off the days until they can take a dip in one of the city’s outdoor swimming pools.

While providing a COVID-19 update to city councillors on Wednesday, City of Hamilton emergency operations manager Paul Johnson said the city will open on a normal schedule, meaning June 28. The date is dependent on when qualified lifeguards who are also high schools students are available to work.

Johnson said that with city-run indoor pools and pools at fitness clubs both closed, the city might extend the hours at outdoor pools to allow for seniors swims, and reserved hours for swimming lengths.

The city manages nine outdoor pools and five wading pools.

A provincial stay-at-home order is set to expire at 12 a.m. Thursday (June 3), but indoor gatherings are still prohibited.