NCC says swimming again OK at River House as water quality meets standard again (2025)

Water quality at the NCC River House again the necessary standards and it was again open for swimming on Wednesday, the National Capital Commission said Wednesday.

An advisory that swimming was not recommended at the popular recreation area because of sub-standard water quality had been posted on Tuesday, though it added that the dock area and bistro remained open.

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The popular swimming area was part of the River House reopening in the summer of 2023 following a substantial refurbishment of the heritage structure on the bank of the Ottawa River.

The reason for the diminished water quality was not given by the NCC.

However, an updated post by Ottawa Public Health said that swimming was not recommended at two of four City of Ottawa beaches on Wednesday because of elevated E. coli measurements that exceeded provincial standards following recent heavy rainfall.

Those areas not recommended included Mooney’s Bay and the east-end Petrie East Bay.

Swimming was recommended at the Britannia Bay and Petrie River beaches, Ottawa Public Health posted online.

On the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, the impact from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby that dumped a deluge of rain on the region last week continued to be felt in Gatineau Park.

The NCC updated its list of affected facilities on Wednesday, including a note that O’Brien and Blanchet beaches at Meech Lake remained closed, as did the Meech Lake boat launch.

As well, Champlain Parkway between Fortune and Gatineau parkways remained closed to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, while the Fortune and Gatineau parkways were open to cyclists and pedestrians only. Dunlop Road to Camp Fortune had reopened.

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The Gatineau Park shuttle service remained suspended until further notice, and closed parking lots included P10, Dunlop, P11, P12 and P13.

Wednesday’s update also said NCC teams had finished inspecting the summer trail network, with several trails either not recommended for public use or closed.

Not recommended: Trail #1 (from P4 to Gatineau Parkway); #7 (from Champlain Parkway to Lauriault Trail); #17; #18; #21; #23; #25; #26 (from Gatineau Parkway to #5); #36b; #38; #44; #45; #54; Champlain Trail; Pioneers Trail; and Lac-des-Fées Trail.

Closed: Trail #1 (from Penguin picnic area to #30); #1b; #2 (from #1 to Western shelter); #3; #13; #36; #37; #51 (west of Philippe Lake Parkway); #52 (from #57 to #50); #55; and Dunlop Trail.

Other trails could be safely explored, the NCC post said.

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