Five places to cool off in Ottawa and Gatineau during the August heat warning

Kids cool off at a local splash pad in Ottawa on July 7, 2021, when the humidex hit a high of 40. (Dave Charbonneau / CTV News Ottawa)

A heat warning is in effect for the city of Ottawa, as Environment Canada's forecast calls for the hottest weekend of the summer.

The forecast calls for a high of 31 C on Saturday and Sunday, with the humidex making it feel like 41 degrees.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five places to cool off in Ottawa and Gatineau during the heat warning. Ottawa's malls, movie theatres and museums will also be open all weekend if you're looking for a place with air conditioning to cool off.

BEACHES

Three Ottawa public beaches are open over the weekend, with lifeguards on duty daily between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The city of Ottawa's beaches are:

• Petrie Island Beach
• Britannia Beach
• Mooney's Bay Beach

Westboro Beach is closed for the summer due to construction.

The National Capital Commission says lifeguards are on duty daily at beaches in Gatineau Park.

The NCC's beaches are:

• La Peche Lake
• Meech Lake (Blanchet)
• Meech Lake (O'Brien)
• Philippe Lake (Breton)
• Philippe Lake (Parent)
• Philippe Lake (Smith)

The city of Gatineau's public beaches are also open. The beaches are located at:

• Parc des Cedres – Rue Raoul-Roy and the Ottawa River 
• Parc du Lac-Beauchamp
• Parc Moussette

OTTAWA WADING POOLS, SPLASH PADS AND SWIMMING POOLS

The city of Ottawa's wading pools, splash pads and swimming pools are open daily.

For more information on locations and hours, visit the city of Ottawa's website.

GATINEAU POOLS

The city of Gatineau is extending the hours of operation at wading pools and outdoor swimming pools this weekend.

The following swimming pools will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. this weekend.

• Piscine et pataugeoire Fontaine (120 rue Charlevoix, secteur de Hull);
• Piscine Sauvageau (179 rue Mutchmore, Hull)
• Piscine Laurent-Groulx (1 rue Lévesque, Hull)
• Piscine Desjardins (1 rue Goyette, Hull)
• Piscine La Vérendrye (730 rue Main, Gatineau)
• Piscine Jack-Eyamie (40 rue du Bassin, Masson-Angers)
• Plage du parc des Cèdres (15 rue Raoul-Roy, Aylmer)
• Plage du parc Moussette (361 boul. Lucerne, Hull)
• Plage du parc du Lac-Beauchamp (741, boul. Maloney Est, Gatineau)

OTTAWA PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCHES/COMMUNITY CENTRES

The city of Ottawa says you can cool off at all Ottawa Public Library branches.

For a list of branches, visit https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/current-branch-services

City of Ottawa community centres are open for people to cool off.

For information on the community centre near you, visit the city of Ottawa's interactive map.

WATER PARKS

Water parks are open near Ottawa to cool off.

• Calypso Theme Waterpark in Limoges, Ont. Calypso is home to the largest wave pool in Canada, over 35 slides and 100 water games.
• Mont Cascades is located in Cantley, Que., seven kilometres from Hwy. 307. Mont Cascades is home to many waterslides, including Black Magic. Rapids River, Splash Forest and Kidz Zone.

TIPS TO COOL OFF

Ottawa Public Health offers tips to cool off during the hot weather

• Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine
• Avoid heavy outdoor activity
• Wear a hat, light and loose-fitting clothing, sunscreen, and sunglasses when outside
• Cool off in an air-conditioned space when available
• Cool off in the shade at a park or green space
• Use a fan and mist your skin with water
• Take cool baths and showers or soak hands or feet in cool water
• Keep your home cool by closing blinds and curtains on any windows facing the sun
• Open windows at night once the outdoor air is cooler than the indoor air; close windows in the morning before hotter air comes in
• Use fans at night to help exhaust warm indoor air and/or bring in cool outdoor air