With the winter weather putting many sports on hold, many Ottawans are finding it harder to stay active. If you aren’t into hockey or skiing, it can be tough to find a fun physical activity to join.

“I’m used to hibernating all winter,” said Jessica Balmford, a second-year uOttawa psychology student. “Coming to this pool was like a discovery for me. Like, I can still swim during the winter?”

Balmford says she has become a regular swimmer at the Kanata Wave Pool, an indoor recreational pool run and maintained by the City of Ottawa.

“There’s times for lane swimming, which is what I normally do,” said Balmford. “But this pool is a wave pool, so they normally remove the lanes and you can just swim freely, which is awesome.”

The Kanata Wave Pool is equipped with a mechanically-powered wave generator, which can fill the pool with artificial waves.

“Our facilities are pretty impressive,” said Cam White, one of the lifeguards at the Kanata Wave Pool. “Everyone loves the waves for real. Kids, people our age, everyone.”

In addition to the main pool, the Kanata Wave Pool location includes a kiddy pool, a hot tub and a sauna.

There are currently 33 indoor pools registered in the City of Ottawa, including the Minto Recreation Complex Pool, the Nepean Sportsplex Pool, the Walter Baker Sports Centre Pool, and the Kanata Wave Pool.

Admission fees vary depending on the swimmer’s age and the type of pool, and can be paid on a membership or a drop-in basis. For adults, or those between 18 and 49 years old, dropping in for one indoor swim costs on average $7.62. Alternatively, adults can get a 12-swim pass for $53.72.

Memberships for adults last either one month, three months, six months or a year, and are priced accordingly between $53.59 and $502.70. The $502.70 pass includes unlimited year-long access to all Ottawa swimming facilities, but adults can get an annual swim membership for as little as $351.96.

Students do not receive discounts on swim memberships, but full-time students can drop in for a swim for the same price as a child: only $5.47 per swim.

“With school stuff always being unpredictable, I didn’t get a full membership, because I’m never sure how often I can come here,” said Balmford. “But when I drop by, I always get the student discount, which is nice.”

For more information on indoor swimming opportunities in Ottawa, visit the City of Ottawa’s website:
https://ottawa.ca/en/recreation-and-parks/swimming