Local destinations offer summer fun
From beaches to water-games parks, families have cool options for the weekend
West Islanders should consider local destinations for cool summer outings, in addition to any out-of town or out-of-country family vacation plans in the works.
Here are a few local suggestions for summer fun.
Although it’s neither the ocean nor the Caribbean, Cap StJacques Regional Park in Pierrefonds (21115 Gouin Blvd. O.) has a 130-foot beachfront that attracts over 60,000 visitors a year. The water is shallow enough for young children to play in but gradually deepens farther out, allowing adults to swim.
There are seasonal rates for repeat visitors, but a family day pass (two adults, three kids) is $16 for beach entry, plus $9 for parking. Besides splashing around at the natural sand beach, situated in a bay where Lac des Deux Montagnes and Rivière des Prairies converge, you can also rent canoes or kayaks. Cap St-Jacques is Montreal’s largest nature park, at almost 300 hectares. Adjacent to the beach, which is patrolled by lifeguards, there is a picnic area where barbecuing is permitted. The park also boasts an ecological farm as well as 16 kilometres of hiking trails and eight kilometres of bike trails.
Another beach worth considering for day trippers is at Oka Provincial Park (2020 Oka Rd., Oka), about 45 minutes from the West Island by way of Highway 40 West and the Hudson- Oka ferry service ($11 per car per trip), or alternately via Highway 13 and Highway 640 West. Lifeguards in designated swim areas monitor this 500-metre stretch of beach, which runs along Lac des Deux Montagnes. The water is relatively shallow and calm. There are also picnic areas, watercraft and bike rentals, as well as hiking and bike trails. Parking is $8.31 per car, and adult entry fees are $8.60 per person.
Water quality at the beaches is monitored by Quebec’s Environment Ministry.
Of course, other ways to cool off from the upcoming high heat this weekend is to jump into a pool or bring your kids to a water-games park. Dorval opened the first splash pad in the West Island in 2009 and since then, other municipalities have jumped on board, including Dollard-des- Ormeaux, Kirkland, Pierrefonds and Pointe-Claire, as well as Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Pincourt, St-Lazare and Vaudreuil-Dorion in the Off-Island. Pointe-Claire’s facility has been a big hit with local families since it opened last summer at Valois Park. These civic splash pads are free and ideal for kids age 10 and under. They offer a great way to cool off, even if you don’t know how to swim.
And speaking of swimming, parents should take advantage of lessons offered at outdoor community or civic pools. Not to take anything away from team sports or other physical activities, I believe every child should learn how to swim, preferably with a trained lifeguard as a basic safety precaution. Community pools usually offer swimming lessons with seasonal memberships. The Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough also offers lessons paid per session for non-members at Valleycrest Public Pool. Family memberships at West Island community pools can range from $300 to $370 per summer, depending on where you live.