The National Capital Commission is set to open two new public swimming docks on the Ottawa River this summer: one near the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, expected by Canada Day, and one at the East Wharf in downtown Ottawa, steps from the Rideau Canal locks, set to open in mid-June. CTV’s Tyler Fleming reports that NCC director of real estate management Nathalie Roy-Patenaude says the waterfront sites are designed to give residents who lack access to private outdoor space a new way to connect with nature. Patenaude says the project will build on the success of existing NCC swimming spots at the NCC River House and Dow’s Lake. The East Wharf location will also include a dedicated swimming lap lane and dockside food and beverage service, while lifejacket rentals will be available at some docks; swimming at all locations will be unsupervised. The NCC says its waterfront hotspots drew more than one million visits last summer.