Ontario Place: Swimmable beach?

The debate around Ontario Place is nothing new for those advocating for it's next steps.

At Swim Drink Fish it's nothing new either. We've seen the potential of this special piece of waterfront property for some time now. As the slogan goes, "Ontario: a place to grow". The west island on Ontario Place is the perfect embodiment of that, where Torontonians and all visitors can one day enjoy free, accessible access to Lake Ontario.

We call that swimmable water. The kind of water that allows anyone to jump in the water. Toronto, a global city by its own accord, hasn't produced a new swimming beach in decades, yet here is a spot many have started flocking to and ignoring the 'no swimming' signs and enjoying the deep cold water.

Thankfully, thanks to funding from Environment Canada and Climate Change, Swim Drink Fish has been monitoring the water at Ontario Place and updates it throughout the summer on Swim Guide.

That work was what Therme Group noticed and wanted to use to facilitate a public beach as part of its portion of the redevelopment of Ontario Place.

So, it's crucial the public is part of the Province's new consultation, in fact, it should have been all along. But it's just as important that we all support a swimmable beach for the same public.