Entrance Pool's Diving Tank Closes for Summer
The Bells Corners pool's dive tank will stay shuttered this season due to deteriorating concrete, part of a broader infrastructure crisis facing Ottawa's aging recreation facilities.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Entrance Pool's diving tank will not open this summer — the concrete has deteriorated so badly that city staff decided to close it for the 2026 season while investigating repairs.
The main swimming pool, which just received new accessibility stairs, is expected to open June 29. But the dive tank where generations of Bells Corners kids learned to jump off the board will remain sealed.
"When they went to open the pool this season, they went, 'Oh my goodness, it's way worse than we thought it was going to be,' " College Ward Coun. Laine Johnson said. "The concrete is exposed to the elements."
Entrance is one of dozens of city facilities sliding into disrepair. At a June 2 council meeting, residents from across Ottawa raised concerns about nearly 100 city facilities rated in fair or worse condition — with only 40 judged worth replacing. The city's outdoor pools are struggling the most, making the closure particularly acute as temperatures climb.
On June 10, council approved a Long Range Financial Plan seeking to address a multimillion-dollar funding gap for city infrastructure over the next decade. The plan includes a target to develop a prioritized facility replacement strategy by 2027.
For Entrance regulars, the closure cuts off a neighborhood anchor. Rebecca Marion, who took her first dive lessons there at age four, has been returning to the pool for a decade — but will have to find another board this summer.