St. Catharines public pools open ahead of next week’s heat wave

Forecasters say southern Ontario could see its first major heat wave of the season early next week.

Environment Canada Senior Climatologist David Phillips says we can expect the weather next week to be “hot, humid, muggy,” with humidex values expected to feel close to 40 degrees.

That’s welcome news for families as St. Catharines officially opens its three outdoor pools for the summer – Port Dalhousie, Lion Dunc Schooley and Lincoln Park pools – just days before the heat arrives.

If the forecast holds, lifeguards expect these pools to be packed.

“For heat alerts, anything over 31 degrees, we stay open one hour longer,” says Stacey, a lifeguard in St. Catharines.

“On very hot days where we get 35 to 40 degrees, we can get over a hundred people at a time sometimes. It gets crazy,” says St. Catharines Lifeguard Liam Panici.

For many families, a day at the pool is one of the most affordable ways to stay cool.

For parents, it’s a chance to keep the kids active, without spending the entire day inside with the air conditioner running.

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“I’m really happy that St. Catharines has something like this for us to swim in.”

Environment Canada says this stretch of heat won’t just be hot, the humidity will make it feel even hotter.

“In the Hamilton area it could be seven degrees warmer than normal [with a] high of 32 degrees, and typically at this time of year it’s about 25,” Phillips says.

With warm overnight temperatures offering little relief, Phillips says the risk of heat-related illness can build quickly. Especially for young children, older adults and people without air conditioning.

After a long, cold winter, some say they’re ready to embrace the heat.

“I think the kids and I are pretty excited. Some hot weather would be really nice, especially with the summer just starting and the kids being out of school,” says Samantha Fielding, a St. Catharines resident.

The Niagara region is also reminding residents that cooling centres will be available at designated community centres, libraries and city halls for anyone who needs to escape the heat.

By early next week, these pools could become more than just a summer destination, they may also be one of the coolest places to be.

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