Where can I swim or skate in Barrhaven?
Barrhaven's main public pools and rinks are the Walter Baker Sports Centre (100 Malvern Drive) and the Minto Recreation Complex (3500 Cambrian Road), with the larger Nepean Sportsplex (1701 Woodroffe Avenue) just to the north. All three are City of Ottawa facilities, and drop-in swim and skate times change weekly — so check the current schedule before you go.
The three facilities
- Walter Baker Sports Centre — 100 Malvern Drive (the same complex as the Ruth E. Dickinson library). An eight-lane pool with a teaching pool and diving tank, plus two ice rinks and a fitness centre. Drop-in lane and public swims, aquafit, and public skating.
- Minto Recreation Complex – Barrhaven — 3500 Cambrian Road. Pools, rinks, and gyms with drop-in swims, skating, and camps.
- Nepean Sportsplex — 1701 Woodroffe Avenue (just north of Barrhaven). A 50-metre pool, three rinks, and a curling centre, with drop-in swim, gym, and fitness.
How to find current drop-in times
Drop-in schedules are set by the City and change week to week and around holidays, so always confirm the day's times on the City of Ottawa recreation reservation system (reservation.frontdesksuite.ca) or each facility's page on ottawa.ca. Barrhaven Bugle flags notable free family swims and skates in the community calendar.