Montreal’s splashiest political display took place Tuesday morning as several dozens of swimmers leaped and dived into the St. Lawrence River of the Jacques Cartier Pier in the Old Port as a means to promote river access.
The Grand Splash event organized by Bathing Montreal (Montreal baignade) aims to improve water quality and advance the number of beaches around the island.
Contrary to popular belief, the St. Lawrence offers many great places to swim, the group notes, but the problem is that they are often hard to access.
The aquatic intervention takes place just days after the borough of Verdun announced plans to create a beach on its shoreline along the St. Lawrence River.
Participant Daphne Trent told CTV Montreal that she had no apprehensions about the quality of the water. “I think the water is clean but I think people don’t know about it,” she said.
