“The beach is not closed. It is entirely open to water activities, it is swimming that is prohibited,” Pascal-Olivier Labrecque specifies at the very beginning of the interview.
Fans of kayaks, paddleboards or kitesurfing always have access to the beach at the Plein air Ville-Joie center. “This is not at all the end of activities on the beach,” assures Mr. Labrecque.
While water activities are essentially under federal jurisdiction, although cities have been able to limit speed on bodies of water since last October, swimming and the health standards that result from it are a provincial responsibility. If the water at a beach is contaminated, this can of course have impacts on public health.
“We meet 100% of federal standards for nautical activities, but we are not able to comply with Quebec standards for swimming,” adds the general manager of Ville-Joie.
The general manager of Ville-Joie, Pascal-Olivier Labrecque. (The New Yorker)
Complying with Quebec standards requires significant investments, maintains the general director of Ville-Joie. Nearly $10,000 per year, he estimates.
“Before we can even say that we open the beach to swimming, we must carry out water tests in the laboratory several times a week for a long period just to find out if the water in Lake Saint-Pierre meets the standards” , mentions Mr. Labrecque.
Once the water quality is deemed acceptable to carry out a project, other investments are necessary. “We have to put in a lifeguard chair, buoys to limit swimming areas. And we have to hire lifeguards,” says Pascal-Olivier Labrecque.
“We estimate the total cost to be $20,000 for the first year.”
— Pascal-Olivier Labrecque, general manager of Ville-Joie
Despite the investments and rigorous monitoring that go hand in hand with a beach open to swimming, the general manager of Ville-Joie admits that he “would like” to carry out this project. However, the reconstruction of the inn occupies all the resources of the organization.
“We just got the restrooms and reception desk back at the inn,” Labrecque notes. “We expect to have access to the rooms before the next season in 2025.”
Located on the edge of Lake Saint-Pierre, the Ville-Joie Plein air center opens its doors to the public on June 30, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The population will be able to discover the facilities as well as learn more about the services offered. Several sports activities, such as zumba and yoga, are on the program.
On its entire territory bordered by the Saint-Maurice River, the Saint-Laurent River and Lake Saint-Pierre, Trois-Rivières has only one beach officially intended for swimming. This is that of Saint-Quentin Island.
