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There’s a new swimming hole in Chelsea, Que., for people to enjoy this summer — but only if they’re willing to abide by a long list of rules.
The western Quebec town recently launched an open-water swimming area along the Gatineau River, complete with a new dock and a designated swimming lane.
But it’s not as simple as just jumping in.
Posted on a large wooden sign in the nearby Farm Point Community Centre parking lot is a set of rules. They prohibit recreational swimming, ban swimming without a partner, and require anyone who does go in the water to wear a bright swim cap and carry a whistle and safety buoy.
“They seem a bit intense and over the top,” said Melanie Beliveau, who was heading down to the dock with her family on Saturday.
Before the municipality took over, the dock was already an informal swimming spot, Beliveau said.
“We used to like the space because it was hard to know that it was there. It was our little secret,” she said.
This sign spells out the list of rules swimmers must follow in order to use the new open-water swimming area in Chelsea. (Cameron Mahler/CBC)
Some of the requirements make sense, Beliveau said, especially for those hoping to swim long distances in a river shared with boats.
But she didn’t think it was practical for everyone else.
“If you’re just going for a quick dip to refresh yourself, I don’t think people will necessarily have that equipment,” she said.
Still, she supports making the area more publicly accessible.
“It makes it more inclusive.”
Melanie Beliveau says the rules the municipality of Chelsea have for its new public access open-water swimming area are over the top. (Cameron Mahler/CBC)Rules may change but not this year, says municipality
Cedric Williams, Chelsea’s manager of communications, says the rules aren’t up to them.
He said Quebec’s safety code identifies two different kinds of swimming: recreational and open-water.
For recreational swimming, Williams says to picture people treading water or puttering around in clearly marked off sections of shallow water. He said this type of swimming requires lifeguards to be on site.
When it comes to open-water swimming, he said the rules cover much of the same territory as those listed on Chelsea’s sign.
The safety equipment is intended to make swimmers more visible to boaters and allows them to signal for help, Williams said. The dock is also in the Gatineau River, he said, where water levels and currents can change.
While some residents have expressed disappointment they can’t use the dock like a traditional swimming hole, Williams said others — particularly endurance swimmers and triathletes — have welcomed having a dedicated place to train.
“It’s a question of insurance and safety. I mean, we don’t want anything to happen to anybody,” he said.
But things may change.
“This is very much a pilot project,” Williams said. “We’ll get people’s comments and feedback and see whether next year there are any needs for adjustments.”
That may include hiring lifeguards, Williams said, so the spot can function more like the recreational swimming area some residents were hoping for.