Borough officials announced their intention to reopen Verdun beach in a press release on Tuesday.
The borough is in the process of hiring enough lifeguards to monitor swimmers as well as to keep track of attendance and manage any possible lineups.
Apart from the lack of staff, water-quality tests and the establishment of sanitary practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are among the logistic problems preventing the beach from opening this week.
Once it does open, only 80 people will be able to access the beach for 45 minutes at a time. Physical distancing will be enforced, and bathers must arrive already in swimsuits. In addition to these measures, if visitors have children, they must bring their own lifejackets.
The borough has many other tasks to attend to such as setting up the washrooms and temporary hand-washing stations.
While there is no specific reopening date, Montrealers will soon officially be able to swim and bask on the shore of the Verdun beach.
In the meantime, beach-goers can call 514-280-0789 for updates on water quality and ask if swimming is allowed that day.
