Residents and tourists have a new place to swim in Ottawa this summer.

The National Capital Commission officially opened the new NCC River House building this week, which includes a new dock for access to a free public swimming area in the Ottawa River.

As part of the River House revitalization project, work has been completed to preserve the heritage character of the building and allow the use of the upper two floors for four seasons.

Other works included:

-Converting an existing parking lot into an easily accessible universal parking area

-Raising the pedestrian bridge to the original lobby level

-Installing an elevator inside the building to allow access to the building's three main levels

-Upgrading electrical services

-A new sprinkler system as part of fire protection upgrades

The River House now features a swimming area and bike parking.

Reservations are not required to access the swimming area, and lifeguards will be on duty daily until September 4 from 7 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Water quality is also regularly tested to ensure safety.

The historic NCC River House, which is 100 years old, was previously known as the National Capital River Pavilion and Ottawa River Boathouse, and it was a site for rowing, boating, and recreational activities.

It is noted that in 2010, it was designated as a heritage building.