Photo: Christie Pits pool/Rock Over London
Anyone for a swim? When summer arrives in Toronto, it’s best to take advantage of the city’s excellent outdoor pools immediately—fall always comes around before you know it!
A dip in one of the city’s best outdoor swimming pools is a great way to spend an hour or a whole day. Pack a lunch and have a picnic nearby with the kids after they’re finished swimming. These pools are what summer in the city are all about.
Entry to the pools is free, but you should take a few quarters for the lockers. Outdoor pools are open late June through early September. Check the City of Toronto outdoor pools schedule for complete details on each of the city’s 57 outdoor pools.
Sunnyside Gus Ryder Pool
Stepping through the Roman-style pavilion to this Roaring Twenties wonder has us wondering if we’ll catch a glimpse of some Hollywood A-listers. With views of the lake, sand, beach, and park nearby, you almost feel as though you’ve left the city on some magical vacation for the day.
Sunnyside Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool
1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
416-392-7915
North Toronto Memorial Pool
Featuring a great water slide, this pool is just west of Yonge on Eglinton, with a separate playground and wading pool nearby. Pack a picnic to eat on the grass in the shade after the kids have tired of the pool (as if that will ever happen!).
North Toronto Memorial Outdoor Pool
200 Eglinton Ave. W.
416-392-6591
Giovanni Caboto Pool
This pool is right by the soccer fields, so you can run the kids around (and around and around) before or after a swim in either the large pool or the wading pool nearby. Wind down with a walk back to the car and indulge in the amazing St. Clair West stores and restaurants.
Giovanni Caboto Outdoor Pool
1367 St. Clair Ave. W.
416-392-7662
Donald D. Summerville Olympic Pools
With three amazing pools—an Olympic-size lap pool, a diving pool and kiddie pool—at this east-end complex, there is no one who leaves here unsatisfied. Right on Woodbine Beach, the pool has views of Lake Ontario and the beach, and you can have fun in the sand before or after. The pools were spruced up in 2015 for Pan Am athelete training.
Donald D. Summerville Olympic Pools
1867 Lake Shore Blvd. E.
416-392-7688
Alex Duff Memorial Pool
One of the most family-friendly pools in the city, the pool at Christie Pits park has everything: a 25-metre lap pool; a shallow splash pool (with sprayers!) for the wee ones; a warm “conversation pool”, i.e. massive hot tub; a deep diving pool with a 1-metre spring board; and a two-storey water slide. Once we get there, we never want to leave.
Alex Duff Memorial Pool
779 Crawford St.
416-392-0910
High Park Pool
Families and kids flock to this pool at the north end of High Park in summer. It’s easy to see why: it has a two-storey spiraling tube slide, shaded kiddie pool, and a huge shallow end. Plus, it’s in High Park! You can spend the whole day here: the park has a small zoo, another wading pool, the fabulous “castle playground”, numerous picnic areas, hiking and walking trails, and a train that loops around the park.
High Park Oudoor Pool
1873 Bloor St. W.
416-392-7807
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
Are splash pads and wading pools more your child’s speed? Find Toronto’s best splash pads and wading pools.
Get wet to the extreme at these 7 water parks and wave pools in the GTA.
Sign up for our newsletters to get parenting and family fun articles delivered to you!
