Lifeguards back supervising Toronto beaches including Woodbine, Kew-Balmy, and Cherry/Clarke until Labour Day

By MATTHEW STEPHENS

As the weather gets hotter and people return to local beaches, City of Toronto lifeguards will be returning to supervised swimming beaches across the city.

“With summer only a few weeks away, we are excited to share that starting this weekend lifeguards are returning to ten beaches,” said Mayor Olivia Chow in a news release. “Lifeguards create safer beaches, allowing for all Torontonians to relax and enjoy the refreshing waters of Lake Ontario.”

As of Saturday, May 31, City of Toronto lifeguards will now be on-site daily at 10 Toronto beaches until Monday, Sept. 1.

For East Toronto residents, those beaches include Woodbine, Kew-Balmy and Cherry/Clarke.

The other City of Toronto supervised swimming beaches are:

Bluffer’s Beach

Centre Island Beach

Gibraltar Point Beach

Hanlan’s Point Beach

Marie Curtis Park East Beach

Sunnyside Beach

Ward’s Island Beach

Times for the lifeguards and beach supervision will be daily from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. between May 31 and Aug. 10. Times for lifeguards at the beaches from Aug. 11 until Labour Day on Sept. 1 will be 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

More information can be found on the city’s website at https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/beaches-gardens-attractions/beaches/.

City lifeguards can be identified by their red and yellow uniforms and will be stationed along shorelines, at posted lifeguard stands, and in white rowboats in the lake. Designated swimming areas are marked between two red-over-yellow flags with a lifeguard stand marked “Lifeguard on Duty.”

During high traffic summer months at beaches, the city encourages visitors to practice safety precautions such as: swimming only when lifeguards are on duty and within the supervised swimming area; remaining within arm’s reach of children who are in or near the water; refraining from swimming alone or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen; limiting exposure to heat and sun; and calling 911 in case of emergency.

Supervised beaches across the city have dedicated lifesaving stations equipped with ring buoys and reaching poles, and are marked with a Parks Locate Point (an identifiable point used when contacting emergency services to pinpoint specific locations for emergency vehicles to know where on the beach to respond). Supervised beach visitors are encouraged to call 311 if they notice any missing or damaged lifesaving equipment.

Also, the city recommends that visitors educate themselves about lifeguards’ flag system used to identify swimming conditions and designated swimming areas. More information regarding the flag system can be found on the beach safety page of the City of Toronto website.

Visitors are encouraged to remain within marked swim zones to avoid being struck by vessels in the water.

For visitors looking to operate any watercraft vehicles, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) has issued a reminder that all watercrafts are restricted from designated swimming areas along Toronto beaches. Designated launch areas for watercraft vehicles can be identified via posted signs.

The TPS Marine Unit reminds beach visitors to remain sober when boating or participating in water related activities on the lake. In Ontario, being convicted of impaired boat operation will also impact the operator’s driver’s license.

Whether swimming or operating a watercraft vehicle, city staff implore that all swimmers wear a lifejacket, no matter their swimming ability.

In addition to swimmer safety, the city will also be monitoring beach water quality (weather permitting) between the months of June and September via water sample analysis.

More information about beach water quality testing can be found at https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/health-inspections-monitoring/swimsafe/beach-water-quality/