La Piscinette lives up to its name. Built in an old shipping container, this temporary pool is very small, but in a heat island like the Centre-Sud, it makes a world of difference.
“People mustn’t know that it exists, otherwise everyone will come!” jokes Barbara Boutin, immersed in water up to her shoulders alongside her daughter Flavie. Around them, calm reigns on this Friday afternoon: a handful of people are swimming under the gaze of lifeguards, while others are lounging in hammocks right next to them.
Installed since the beginning of July in the middle of the Jos-Montferrand park, in the Centre-Sud, the Piscinette is accessible free of charge every day of the week, from noon to 7 p.m. Behind the wooden installation that surrounds the saltwater pool, a large space covered in sand and punctuated with parasols is available to users who want to extend their visit.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
There is no other outdoor swimming pool than the Piscinette in the Centre-Sud.
The project comes at just the right time for residents of Ville-Marie, a borough riddled with heat islands where there are no other public outdoor pools, except on Île Sainte-Hélène. “With the heat waves we had this summer, it’s really extraordinary to have this here,” adds Barbara Boutin, a big smile on her face.
A need for freshness
La Piscinette first appeared in 2022 as a pilot project, before being reborn this year. According to Sophie Mauzerolle, municipal councilor for the Sainte-Marie district, it was a necessity. “We are in a neighborhood that is greatly affected by the impacts of climate change, so we wanted to increase the supply in terms of cool islands,” she explains, sitting by the pool.
Sophie Mauzerolle and her team looked for an inexpensive solution that could be built quickly. “That’s how we came up with this idea of a swimming pool in a shipping container,” she explains.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Municipal councilor Sophie Mauzerolle is delighted to see people of all ages frequenting the Piscinette.
La Piscinette can accommodate up to 20 people, a limitation that made the advisor a little nervous at first. “But we have a good turnover,” she says. “A few times a small line has formed, but generally, people settle in to cool off and then leave.”
In addition to the swimming pool, the Jos-Montferrand park has been equipped for the summer with a beach volleyball court and sandboxes, in addition to portable bathrooms. A free program including children’s entertainment, yoga classes and dance workshops ensures a neighborhood life around the Piscinette. “We really wanted to have a complete leisure offer,” explains Sophie Mauzerolle.
An idea to spread
Lying in one of the hammocks that line the pool, Théo Dupuis-Carbonneau is resting after a short swim. “I come here often, even with my boyfriend, we sometimes meet here at lunchtime during our work days,” adds the Hochelaga resident, who also attended the first version of the project, in 2022.
La Piscinette is already very popular with local residents, according to Théo Dupuis-Carbonneau. “It would be great if other boroughs did the same thing, so that more people could enjoy it,” she adds.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
La Piscinette is already very busy.
Sophie Mauzerolle hopes to export this model to other dense areas where outdoor pools are becoming rarer. Other districts and municipalities have already expressed interest, according to the city councilor. “Here, we have an infrastructure that moves and is very flexible. We hope that it will spawn similar projects elsewhere!”, she emphasizes.