Few summer activities beat hitting the beach for a swim, especially on a long weekend. Swimming in any of Toronto’s beaches was frowned upon for a long time because of perceptions that the water was unsafe, polluted and full of three-eyed fish. Enter Swim Guide, a free iOS and Android app developed by Swimkeeper that shows the current status of beaches not only in Toronto, but around the Great Lakes and other parts of North America.
The information shown on this app is collected from various provincial government sources. Each beach is given a colour code relating to its safety and is based on its current status or historical averages with percentages on how long it has been open in the past. Green means a beach is safe, yellow is a caution and red is unsafe. The colour codes are very simple and appear in searches so you know the status of a beach immediately. Toronto’s Cherry Beach is marked as safe, but Woodbine is not. However, there could be some discrepancies depending on how long it takes to update information – beaches marked as unsafe when the municipality says it is, or vice versa.
I understand why the designers would use provincial standards to measure beaches, but it would be an added bonus to include information from municipalities to offer a complete picture of each beach.
When searching for a beach, the app scans your location of offers up the closest beaches. There is a search function that allows for searches outside of Toronto. In each beach profile there is a brief description of it, and depending on the beach it can include some historical knowledge and information. This is great. I enjoy learning more about local beaches around the city, and in other spots across the province. Users can bookmark favourite beaches so they appear at the top of your search. Also, when looking for a beach, you can find directions and share your location through social media. What would be a great addition to these profiles are more photos of all beaches and any news or alerts, especially if they have to close.
In the Learn section you can learn the background behind the laws, policies and procedures used by various government agencies to declare beaches open and safe and what their standards are. This is great if you’re curious as to how different jurisdictions define safe beaches and clean water.
There is also a reporting function available should you see any problems with any beaches. This information can be sent to the designers through email.
Whether you plan to take a dip in Lake Ontario, Sauble, Wasaga Beach or anywhere in between this Civic Holiday long weekend, downloading this app is a great idea.
Learn more about the beach you visit, invite your friends to join you by sharing your location. If your beach is too crowded, find another one with ease. Enjoy your long weekend by knowing how safe the water you swim in is.
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Rob Kirsic writes the App of the Week column for Toronto Standard. Follow him @robertkirsic.
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