General Burns Pool closure extended to September for additional repairs

The General Burns outdoor pool is closed for repairs in the middle of the summer. Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

The General Burns Pool in Ottawa’s west end will remain closed for nearly the entire summer season for additional repairs, according to the area’s city councillor.

“Last Thursday, as concrete work began on the pool basin, city staff discovered that more work is needed than was originally anticipated,” said Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine in a post to social media.

“After having removed all of the paint from the pool walls through extensive sandblasting, city staff have indicated that this is the ideal time to complete any necessary repairs, in order to help extend the life of the pool basin for future seasons.”

Devine says city officials believe the pool will be able to reopen on Sept. 9.

The city closed the General Burns Pool on Chesterton Dr. on June 12 due to “water clarity” issues. It originally anticipated an opening date of July 18 but was later extended for several more weeks.

The closure has left many parents scrambling to schedule swimming classes for their children and has kept the nearby Crestview Pool busy as temperatures reach the mid-30s in Ottawa this week.  

“My office is fully aware of just how disappointing this is to local area residents, especially considering the severe heat,” Devine said.

“City staff are meeting on Tuesday to review the plan for the remainder of the season, so it’s still to be determined whether they will officially call the season complete.”

The wading pool onsite continues to remain staffed and open at no charge during public swim times.

Extra lifeguards have also been assigned to Crestview Pool to deal with the closure.

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