Halifax Common Pool: your guide before it closes

If you have not yet dipped a toe into the new Halifax Common Aquatics Facility, you have a couple of weeks left before it closes for the season. The pool, which sits at 5838 Cogswell Street on the Halifax Mainland Common between Cogswell Street and Bell Road, is part of the Halifax Common Master Plan and was built in partnership with the Marco Group, with funding from the Halifax Regional Municipality and the Government of Canada through the Canada Community-Building Fund. It carries on a public swimming legacy that dates back to 1938, inside what is billed as Canada's oldest urban park, established in 1749.

The pool itself is 13,500 square feet and holds between 300 and 350 bathers. It is a 25-metre, five-lane pool with a sloped, beach-style entry, a barrier-free lift, a six-foot deep end with roped-off swimming lanes, and three aquatic climbing walls. Beyond the water, there is a new water plaza with interactive inground fountain sprays, lighting and sequencing, plus an accessible, inclusive playground with natural play features, shade structures and seating. The old pavilion has been replaced by a net-zero ready building with solar panels and natural ventilation, and its multi-purpose room, which holds up to 100 people, stays open year-round as a community space with a kitchenette and a modular stage. The change rooms are large, universal and gender-neutral, with individual, family and accessible cubicles.

Because we are now in early September, the schedule has shifted. From September 2 to 15, lane swimming and open swim both run from 4:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, with open swim split into two sessions: 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. and 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. On weekends, lane swimming runs from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with open swim broken into seven sessions from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Aquafit continues on weekdays: Monday at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., and Thursday and Friday at 8:30 a.m. The pool closes for the year on September 15.

Money is the easy part: lane swimming and open swims are free on a first-come basis. Fees only kick in for swimming lessons and aquatic sports like lifesaving, water polo and the swim team. Lockers are for day use only, so bring your own lock. A few rules are worth knowing before you go: children seven and under must have a parent or guardian within arms reach, with a maximum of three children per adult; ages eight to 11 need a guardian at the facility; and youth 12 to 17 can come on their own but cannot act as guardians for children 11 and under. Full-face and scuba masks are not allowed during open swims, diving is off-limits, and food and drink are not permitted. Everyone is asked to shower before entering, and running and boisterous play are not allowed. The pool stays open unless there is thunder, lightning or extreme weather.

For programs, you can register online at halifax.ca/myREC or call 902-490-6666 or 902-490-1302. The facility is wheelchair accessible and has full cell service. The Halifax Common itself covers about 19 hectares in the heart of the Halifax peninsula, west of the Citadel, and stays open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.