Urban swimming is making a splash — and redefining how we see our waterways

I once read that, if you’re lucky, you’ll have about 85 summers in your lifetime.

Now that I’m in my 40s, this number doesn’t feel as generous as it once did. Have I really used up half my allotment of lazy, hazy days? This weighed on me last June as I searched for a bit of summer solace. I found it when I started swimming in the Ottawa River.

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My favourite spot is the National Capital Commission (NCC) River House, a century-old heritage building just east of downtown Ottawa. As of 2023, it’s home to a floating dock which allows swimmers to safely enter the Ottawa River and swim under lifeguard supervision. While the River House isn’t Ottawa’s only outdoor swimming spot, it certainly is the most charming. From the gently landscaped paths to the jaunty red deck chairs, everything about this location just says “summer!” to me.

It feels like summer too. Sliding into the water for the first time made my inner eight-year-old giggle. Was that a wayward wisp of an aquatic plant that brushed my arm or was there a mighty monster lurking nearby? Tiny waves and ripples washed over my face and made me feel like I was on a great seafaring adventure. The teenagers I had spied on the deck earlier, looking impossibly sophisticated and stylish, were transformed into kids again once their shades were off and the splashing began. I was surrounded by dozens of happy people, yet I felt alone, in the best possible way.

The NCC River House in Ottawa. (Photo courtesy of Vanessa Chiasson)

Ottawa isn’t the only city falling back in love with its waterways. Urban swimming is making a splash everywhere these days. Capitalizing on the popularity of the Paris Olympics, which famously included aquatic events in the River Seine, the Swimmable Cities Alliance was founded in 2024 to support the growth of a global, grassroots movement for transforming urban waterways. The alliance is made up of 125 organizations across 27 countries and it counts organizations from Australia, Denmark, and South Africa among its members. Matthew Sykes, a member of the organization’s steering group, reflects on the many global stakeholders working toward safe urban swimming. Making the transition to more swimmable cities “starts with seeing our waterways as partners,” he says. “The right to swim and having access…it can create pathways for lots of different people to find a sense of meaning and purpose.”

Happy swimmers in Ottawa owe much of their enjoyment to Ottawa Riverkeeper, a non-profit organization whose headquarters are, fittingly, in the River House. Since forming in 2001, Ottawa Riverkeeper has helped reduce municipal sewage overflows by over ninety percent. They also share water quality test results for over 300 swimming sites across the watershed.

When I spoke with Laura Reinsborough, the CEO of Ottawa Riverkeeper, she emphasized that transparency and accountability (such as frequently sharing water test results) are crucial for building public trust — especially among would-be swimmers who remember a time when river pollution was taken less seriously.

Vanessa Chiasson swims in the Ottawa River at the River House. (Photo courtesy of the author)

“There’s been generations where people had good reason not to swim in the river…” she says. “It’s like the river is kind of calling people back.”

However, Ottawa Riverkeeper’s work runs much deeper than data. “When we talk about what a healthy river looks like, we’re looking at ecological health,” says Reinsborough. “We’re looking at humans as a species, to thrive and live and have our drinking water, our washing water, our place for solace and comfort and recreation. All of that is part of the joy of living in close connection with water.” Access to a healthy swimming area is especially important for apartment and townhouse dwellers, whose living arrangements rarely offer much outdoor space. The river is a place to chill out, in more ways than one.

But clean water is just one component of a community-focused swimming program. Nathalie Roy-Patenaude is the NCC’s director of real estate management. She argues that accessibility is equally important. All of River House is wheelchair accessible, from the path leading from the road to the pool deck to the lift equipment that allows those with limited mobility to enter the water. There is no admission fee. There are ample facilities for cyclists and River House is connected to multiple walking and cycling paths. Accessibility also means that people feel comfortable in and around the water. The lifeguards are a huge part of that, as is a wide selection of lifejackets. Roy-Patenaude recalls helping a four-year-old patron find a lifejacket so he could go into the swim area. Later, she noticed that the child’s grandmother was sitting on the side of the water watching her daughter and grandson play.

“I said to her, ‘If I find you a jacket that fits, would you like one?’” recalls Patenaude. “And then next thing you know… you’ve got grandma and her grandson, splashing and having a blast. This is about creating opportunity.”

During my many visits to the River House, I’ve seen guests who are wild swimming for the first time. For many, muddy riverbanks and water plants are a new experience, and people often squeal when they touch the water. Judging from the delighted laughs that always bubble up moments later, I have to believe these new swimmers are converts! Suddenly, everyone’s summers feel a lot more memorable.

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Vanessa Chiasson is a writer in Ottawa.