Hi neighbours,
Next week (July 20-26) is National Drowning Prevention Week. With one of the busiest beaches in the city in our neighbourhood, drowning prevention and water safety are top of mind year-round, but I’d like to take this opportunity to touch on a few critical topics related to water safety in Britannia.
Water Rescues at Deschênes Rapids
The Deschênes Rapids are just east of Britannia Beach. Strong currents and winds can catch casual boaters and paddleboarders by surprise and drag them towards the rapids, which has resulted in an uptick in water rescues at that location over the past few years. Earlier this week, I met with Britannia Village residents, Britannia Yacht Club leadership, representatives from Ottawa Fire Services (including Chief Paul Hutt), Police, and Paramedic Services, and city park staff responsible for beaches, to discuss how we can all work together to prevent these accidents.
City staff are reviewing signage at Britannia Beach and looking at options for pictograms and clearer messaging to warn people of the rapids and strong currents. The Britannia Yacht Club will also be posting signage on their pier, and are working with the federal government to get warning buoys installed in the water. I’d like to thank members of the community and the yacht club for partnering with us to make our waterways safer for everyone. It was noted that many who end up needing to be rescued were unaware of the dangers of the rapids and many were not wearing a personal floatation device. More education is needed to alert the public of the dangers of the Deschênes Rapids and the volatility of open water in general. I’ve included a list below of the requirements for going out on the water whether it be on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), kayak or canoe. The city and my office will be taking every opportunity we can to share messaging about boating and paddleboarding safety, so people have the information they need to safely navigate the river. The first message is stay away from rapids! Stay tuned, as more work continues on this important issue.
Public Education and Water Safety
Water safety is everyone’s responsibility. This summer, I’m working with Ottawa Paramedic Services and summer camps in the neighbourhood to coordinate safety presentations for children attending camps near the beach. I also encourage everyone to check out Ottawa Public Health’s Water Safety tip sheets, available in 8 languages.
If you have a stand up paddleboard, remember you are required to:
- Wear a personal floatation device (PFD)
- Have a whistle, AND a floating throw rope on board
Parks Canada has a useful paddleboard safety website, with tips including:
- Alcohol and cannabis don’t mix with water – don’t use these substances before or during swimming or boating.
- Paddle with a partner, and stay close to shore.
- Check weather conditions and forecasts,and be aware of currents, wind and other hazards Remember that you will have to paddle back to where you started!
- If you see that bad weather is coming in, paddle closer to shore, as the wind can change rapidly and create large waves in a matter of minutes. Get off the water if you hear thunder or see lightning.
Let’s work together to stay safe on the water this summer. If you would like to discuss water safety issues with my office, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Finally, I wanted to give some advance notice that our office will be taking a pause on newsletters for the first few weeks of August. We’ll send another issue out next Friday (July 25), and then will resume newsletters when Council returns. Our office will also be closed on August 1 and August 8, but will be open for questions and inquiries throughout the rest of the summer.
Read the full newsletter for updates on public art in Britannia Park, upcoming road closures, and events and news from across Bay Ward.
