Creating protected areas on the Toronto waterfront for open water swimming and more

It is more apparent every day just how much of a waterfront city Toronto is becoming. This summer proved that people are starved for accessible places to access the lake. Without the freedom of summer travel, many in the City of Toronto headed to the beach this summer, seeking a place to cool off in the waters of Lake Ontario. But is there enough access to swimmable waters in the city? The answer is no.

Communities across the city are coming together to advocate for protected, accessible, and clean places to swim, paddle, and surf. One such group is the Friends of Cherry Beach. This community of over 1000 lake swimmers and passive water users is on a mission to create protected areas on the Toronto waterfront for open water swimming, surfers, paddlers, and other passive water users. 

Swim Drink Fish Ambassador Madhu Nagaraja swimming in Lake Ontario.

Their vision is to create an ‘aquatic park’ in the city that protects areas enjoyed by swimmers and other users from motorized boat traffic. The proposal is to install a permanent one 1 km swim course at Cherry Beach. Click the button below to see their full proposal to Waterfront Toronto in response to the 2020 Marine use Strategy Draft report.

This summer was The Summer of Swimming as predicted, but as 2020 comes to a close after an unprecedented summer, we must continue to work together to achieve a 100% SwimmableTO.

Creating a SwimmableTO will take creativity, hard work, perseverance, respect, and most importantly, cooperation to make it happen. The Friends of Cherry beaches mission supports our findings presented in the fourth annual report, Toronto Water Monitoring Report: A SwimmableTO. This report outlines steps to create a swimmable city through public awareness, infrastructure upgrades, and finally, creating new and protected spaces for people to access the water.