Borden Natural Swimming Pool

Outdoor Pools Closed for the Season

All five outdoor pools are now closed for the 2025 season. We hope you made a splash, and we look forward to welcoming you in May 2026!

A woman and a child sitting on the edge of Borden Natural Swimming Pool. Groups of people are visible in the background, on the other side of the pool.

Borden Natural Swimming Pool on a summer day. The sky is blue with a few white clouds.

Borden Natural Swimming Pool is Canada’s first public, man-made, natural swimming pool located in beautiful Borden Park. It is surrounded by sand and plenty of lounge space with umbrellas, making it a perfect destination to enjoy a summer day.

As no chemicals are used to disinfect the water, the guidelines of the pool are different from other outdoor pools. Please read the pool guidelines before visiting the facility.

Admission and Memberships

Outdoor Pools are Value type admission except for Aquafit classes and Swim Training, which are Benefit Plus programs.

Admission to these pools is included with all City of Edmonton Recreation Centre memberships, including the Summer Child & Youth Pass.

Admission Type	Single Admission	Aquafit & Swim Training
Adult (18-64 years)	$9.25	$12.75
Youth/Senior (13-17/65+ years)	$7.75	$10.25
Child (2-12 years)	$6.25	$8.25
Infant (Under 2 years)	Free	Not Applicable
Household (Up to 7 people of the same household related by birth, legal status or marriage)	$25.25	$35.25

Admission Type

Single Admission

Aquafit & Swim Training

Adult (18-64 years)

$9.25

$12.75

Youth/Senior (13-17/65+ years)

$7.75

$10.25

Child (2-12 years)

$6.25

$8.25

Infant (Under 2 years)

Free

Not Applicable

Household (Up to 7 people of the same household related by birth, legal status or marriage)

$25.25

$35.25

Pool Status and Closures

Closures of outdoor pools are determined by temperature (below 18 °C), air quality (monitored by 4 stations across the City), extreme weather (stormy, heavy rain, lightning or thunder), and bookings.

Check Facility Notifications for the latest outdoor pool status.

Outdoor pool status is updated daily at 10am and 1pm.

Pool Guidelines

In addition to City of Edmonton Recreation facility guidelines, these additional guidelines must be followed to keep the facility clean and open:

Do not swim if you have been sick in the last 2 weeks or have open wounds

Wear proper swim attire:

Swim diapers for toddlers and babies
Swimwear with a liner made for the purpose of swimming
No athletic shorts or underwear is allowed in the water

Have a head-to-toe soaking shower before entering the water. This helps remove contaminants you may bring into the water including soap, lotion, sunscreen and laundry detergent.

Rinse off as much of the soap as possible when having a shower

Use only phosphate free sunscreen

Glass containers are not permitted

Pets are not permitted

Food and street shoes are not permitted near the water

Please tell a staff member if you think you or your child may have accidentally contaminated the water

Throw your garbage in the trash to help keep the facility clean and pest-free

Customers may bring in unopened, factory sealed beverages only. Opened or unsealed beverages are not allowed in to the facility and customers will be asked to dump out any unsealed beverages. Exceptions can be made for customers who are feeding infants onsite, or for customers with medical needs. Water coolers are available to fill water bottles.

Alcoholic beverages are not allowed

Customers may bring in their own food

Only certified service dogs are allowed at City outdoor pools

How is it Cleaned?

Borden depends on rock filters and natural processes in the regeneration basin to clean the water instead of using chemicals.

Water in Borden Park Natural Swimming Pool is treated by replicating naturally occurring filtration.

The water purification system includes:

The Neptune Filter: Layers of granite rock filter the water to remove big particles like leaves, dissolved solids and larger organic materials. A biofilm on top of the rock filters out smaller microorganisms.

Hydrobotanical beds: In these “constructed wetlands”, plants filter phosphates, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other contaminants from the water.

Intense ultraviolet from the sun controls bacteria levels before water is recirculated into the public basins.

Outdoor Pools Closed for the Season

Notifications

Hours

Location

Admission and Memberships

Pool Status and Closures

Outdoor Pools Opening Video

Pool Guidelines

How is it Cleaned?

Recreation Centres Admission and Memberships

Swim Safe

Swimming Lessons

Spray Parks/Water Play Features

Contact Us