Westboro Beach

Westboro Beach, located on the Ottawa side of the historic Ottawa River, is a vibrant and accessible destination for all seasons. Recently reopened, Westboro Beach offers new ways to enjoy the scenic shoreline.

The site features renovated pavilions, a year-round restaurant, a seasonal café, and a supervised swimming area. New additions also include riverfront lookouts, a playground, and outdoor showers.

In summer, you can enjoy a picnic, swim, rent water equipment or play volleyball. In winter, you can go sledding or ski, snowshoe, snow bike or hike on a multi-use winter pathway that leads directly to the pavilion.

Westboro Beach is a part of the Ottawa River South Shore Riverfront Park Plan, which calls for the creation of a continuous riverfront park between LeBreton Flats and the Mud Lake conservation area.

Westboro Beach is located at 745 Kichi Zībī Mīkan, in Ottawa. It is easily accessible via the Kichi Zībī Mīkan, public transit, and the Capital Pathway.

• Driving: Paid parking is available at Westboro Beach, across from the beach (66 spaces, with one universally accessible space). Additionally, a drop-off area near the pavilion features three universally accessible spaces.
• Public transit: The future Westboro and Kichi Zībī O-Train stations are within walking distance.
• Walking, cycling and skiing: Westboro Beach is accessible via the Capital Pathway along the Kichi Zībī Mīkan. Bicycle racks are available year-round adjacent to the pavilions and throughout the park.
  

Westboro Beach Club

The Westboro Beach Club, located in one of the Strutt towers along the beach, is open seasonally from mid-May to mid-October. Visitors can also enjoy scenic riverfront views and a unique outdoor dining experience in the summer.

• Schedule: Closed for the season
• Menu: Grab-and-go picnic options and cold beverages

Grand Pizzeria

The Grand Pizzeria at Westboro Beach, located in the new building, is open to the public year-round. Indoor seating is also available year-round.

• Schedule: 
  • Open from 11 am to 10 pm Sunday through Thursday
  • Open from 11 am to 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays
• Menu: A variety of tasty offerings, including gourmet pizzas, salads, calamari and alcoholic beverages.

In summer, there is a designated swim area at Westboro Beach. Swimming conditions can vary depending on river conditions.

• Supervised swimming: The City of Ottawa offers supervised swimming on-site from June 21 to August 24, 2025 (noon to 7 pm).
• Water quality: Regular bacteriological testing is conducted by the City of Ottawa. Test results can be found on the Beach Water Quality Results webpage.
• Changing facilities: Universally accessible change rooms are available on the lower level inside the Strutt towers. They feature fold-down benches and infant change tables.

In summer, you can rent kayaks, paddleboards, canoes and beach chairs.

• Hours of operation: 12 pm to 7 pm daily

Contact Wilderness Tours directly for details.

In winter, the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail leads directly to Westboro Beach. A team of volunteers maintains the trail in winter.

Westboro Beach includes many universally accessible features, including:

• accessible pathways to and around the site’s amenities
• accessible washrooms in both pavilions
• accessible parking spaces in the drop-off area and in the lot across the road, all within 110 m of the pavilions

• Dogs: Leashed dogs and pets are permitted on the pathways but are not permitted on the beach, children’s play structure, or inside the pavilions.
• Food: Glassware is not permitted on the beach.
• Alcohol: You may drink items bought at the Westboro Beach restaurants on their respective patios or inside the building. No outside alcohol is permitted onsite, including in the landscaped areas.
• Boating: Motorized watercraft is prohibited from launching from Westboro Beach and the swimming zone.
• Fishing: Fishing is prohibited in the swimming and designated watercraft rental zones.

Westboro Beach has a rich history, which you can learn about through a series of interpretation panels and artwork.

Rare stromatolite fossils, uncovered as the beach was being restored, offer a fascinating glimpse into the area's prehistoric past. The beach is located downstream from the watershed of the Noire, Dumoine and Coulonge rivers, called the “Three Sisters” by the Algonquin People.

In the 1800s, the site hosted a large sawmill that processed logs from upriver. It was known as Skead’s Mill. Though the mill is no longer standing, its remnants are now protected on a registered archaeological site (BiFw-71).

Just south of the old mill site stands the Strutt Pavilion, a modernist structure designed in 1966 by architect James Strutt. With its expressive concrete form, the pavilion has served as a playful and iconic landmark along the river for more than 50 years. Its recent restoration was guided by a desire to preserve its bold design while welcoming a new generation of visitors.

Current tenants include The Grand Pizzeria and Wilderness Tours.

The budget for this project was $21 million dollars, including a $13.5M contribution from the City of Ottawa. This contribution was part of the 2015 agreement between the NCC and the City of Ottawa for the western light rail transit (LRT) extension and the creation of a riverfront park.