A blistering heat wave is about to bring the hottest day of the year so far to Toronto.
With temperatures skyrocketing to feel like 46 degrees and the city officially under a heat warning, Toronto’s outdoor pools are a great choice for some much-needed relief.
While Toronto’s 57 outdoor pools normally wrap up daily operations at 8 p.m., the city is extending a lifeline to sweaty residents by keeping eight select locations open for late-night swims. And the best part? You can visit every single one of them completely for free.
Which pools are staying open late?
The City of Toronto has selected eight designated outdoor pools across the city to keep their gates unlocked well past dark. Whether you’re looking to complete a few casual midnight laps or just escape your un-air-conditioned apartment, these spots will be keeping the lights on until 11:45 p.m. throughout the duration of the heat event.
The full list of extended-hour pools includes:
- Alex Duff Memorial Outdoor Pool (Christie Pits Park)
- Giovanni Caboto Outdoor Pool (Earlscourt Park)
- Heron Park Community Recreation Centre
- McGregor Park
- Monarch Park
- North Toronto Memorial Outdoor Pool
- Smithfield Outdoor Pool
- Sunnyside Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool
If you can’t make it out for a late-night dip, don’t sweat it. The city’s remaining outdoor pools will maintain their regular daily schedules from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Meanwhile, more than 170 push-button splash pads are firing on all cylinders across the city from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and 10 supervised swimming beaches are staffed for daytime relief along the waterfront.
Before grabbing your towel and heading out the door, remember that no reservations are required for regular drop-in swim times at these outdoor locations, but capacity limits still apply.
You can find the closest cool space and check live pool schedules here.
