Five places to cool off in Ottawa and Gatineau during the July heat warning

The first heat warning of the summer is in effect for the city of Ottawa.

Environment Canada says hot and humid conditions are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday, with humidex values in the upper 30s.

Ottawa Public Health is reminding residents to find ways to cool down during the heat wave.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at five places to cool off in Ottawa and Gatineau during the heat warning.

BEACHES

Ottawa's public beaches are open for the summer.

Lifeguards are on duty daily between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The city of Ottawa's beaches are:

• 
  Petrie Island Beach


• 
  Britannia Beach


• 
  Mooney's Bay Beach

Westboro Beach is closed for the summer due to construction.

The National Capital Commission says lifeguards are on duty at beaches in Gatineau Park and at Leamy Lake.

"Given the shortage of lifeguards, some beaches may be unsupervised at certain times," the NCC says.

The NCC's beaches are:

• 
  La Peche Lake


• 
  Leamy Lake


• 
  Meech Lake (Blanchet)


• 
  Meech Lake (O'Brien)


• 
  Philippe Lake (Breton)


• 
  Philippe Lake (Parent)


• 
  Philippe Lake (Smith)

The city of Gatineau's public beaches are also open. The beaches are located at:

• 
  Parc des Cedres – Rue Raoul-Roy and the Ottawa River 


• 
  Parc du Lac-Beauchamp


• 
  Parc Moussette (beach currently closed)

WADING POOLS, SPLASH PADS AND SWIMMING POOLS

The city of Ottawa's wading pools, splash pads and swimming pools are open.

For more information on locations and hours, visit the city of Ottawa's website.

OTTAWA PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCHES

The city of Ottawa says you can cool off at all Ottawa Public Library branches.

For a list of branches, visit https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/current-branch-services

COMMUNITY CENTRES

The city of Ottawa says community centres are open for people to cool off.

For information on the community centre near you, visit the city of Ottawa's interactive map.

WATER PARKS

Water parks are open near Ottawa to cool off.

Calypso Theme Waterpark in Limoges, Ont. Calypso is home to the largest wave pool in Canada, over 35 slides and 100 water games.

Mont Cascades is located in Cantley, Que., seven kilometres from Hwy. 307.Mont Cascades is home to many waterslides, including Black Magic. Rapids River, Splash Forest and Kidz Zone.

TIPS TO COOL OFF

Ottawa Public Health offers tips to cool off during the hot weather

• 
  Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine


• 
  Avoid heavy outdoor activity


• 
  Wear a hat, light and loose-fitting clothing, sunscreen, and sunglasses when outside


• 
  Cool off in an air-conditioned space when available including malls, museums, libraries, and movie theatres


• 
  Cool off in the shade or at a park or green space


• 
  Use a fan and mist your skin with water


• 
  Take cool baths and showers as often as needed or soak hands or feet in cool water


• 
  Keep your home cool by closing blinds and curtains on any windows facing the sun


• 
  Open windows at night once the outdoor air is cooler than the indoor air; close windows in the morning before hotter air comes in


• 
  Use fans at night to help exhaust warm indoor air and/or bring in cool outdoor air