National Capital Commission to open two new swimming docks this summer

Tashi Farmilo

Swimmers will have two new places to take a dip in the Ottawa River this summer, including one right behind the Canadian Museum of History, the National Capital Commission announced June 3.

The federal Crown corporation said it will install swimming docks on both sides of the river as part of its "Summer at the Capital Cottage" programming, which encourages residents and visitors to enjoy the waterfront close to home rather than driving to a cottage.

The dock on the Quebec side will sit behind the Canadian Museum of History. According to renderings released by the NCC, the site will include a floating island and an unsupervised deep-water swimming area enclosed by buoy lines. The second, the East Wharf Dock, will be on the Ontario side, attached to the East Wharf platform near the entrance to the Rideau Canal locks. That platform opened in the fall of 2025 following construction that began in mid-2025 and was built during low water levels to limit the impact on the river ecosystem in collaboration with Parks Canada.

The docks arrive as the region positions itself within a global movement to make urban rivers swimmable again. Ville de Gatineau, the City of Ottawa and the NCC have been selected to co-host the Swimmable Cities Summit 2027, an international gathering set to convene urban planners and water authorities along the Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau rivers to push investment in healthy, climate-resilient waterways. Registration is expected to open on World Rivers Day, September 27.

The NCC said its flagship waterfront sites drew more than one million visits last summer, and that demand for accessible public spaces along the water continues to climb. "The Capital's waterfronts are among our most cherished public spaces," NCC chief executive officer Tobi Nussbaum said in a statement, adding that the goal is to offer "cottage vibes without the drive, right here in the heart of the region."

Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette welcomed the museum dock in a social media post, describing it as new access to a river that has shaped the city's identity and crediting collaboration among the NCC, the Government of Quebec and the Canadian Museum of History. She said the project would let more people enjoy the river in a safe and accessible setting.