The Plunge
from$81,100
20 x 15 ft · four feet deep · waterfall, wetland and intake bay
- Deep zone you can swim laps in
- Planted wetland filter and intake bay
- Real boulders set by hand, gravel throughout
- Underwater lighting and shoreline planting
Natural swimming pools · Swimming ponds · Ontario
Your own lake, out back.
A natural swimming pool that looks like it was always there. Wetland filtered, no chlorine, real stone you can sit on.
A short call with Joey. No site visit until you want one.
5.0 on Google17 reviews, all five stars
Master CertifiedAquascape Contractors
Since 2011Building ponds in Ontario
Barrie & WarkworthTwo bases, all of Ontario
Not a pool with plants around it
Clear because it is alive.
Half is the deep zone you swim in. Half is a planted wetland that filters it the way a lake shoreline does, only faster. Nothing to dose, nothing to smell.
Wetland filtered
A planted gravel bed and an intake bay keep the water moving and clear. No chlorine, no salt, no chemical bills.
Real stone, set by hand
Boulders you can sit on, a waterfall you hear from the deck, edges that look like a shoreline.
Built for Ontario
Up to six feet deep, made to freeze and thaw like a lake. Frogs visit. Kids swim. It gets better every summer.
Packages and real prices
Four sizes. Every one includes the waterfall.
Prices are on the page because this is a big decision and you should not have to phone for a number.
The Swim
from$105,900
25 x 20 ft · four feet deep · three-foot cascading falls
- Everything in The Plunge, with more water
- A waterfall you hear from the deck
- High-flow pump and IonGen water clarifier
- Nineteen working days on site
The Lake
from$208,700
25 x 40 ft · six feet deep · four-foot falls
- A deep end for real swimming, a shelf to sit on
- Wetland and intake bay sized for the volume
- External pump, dosing system, aeration
- Stream and second falls where the site allows
The Estate
from$299,000
30 x 50 ft · six feet deep · falls and a 15-foot stream
- A lake, honestly
- Twin filtration, two external pumps
- Stream, second falls, lit shoreline
- Designed with you over two visits
What moves the number: access for the excavator, the amount of rock, decking and patios, lighting, and how far we travel. On a free call Joey looks at a photo of your yard and gives you an honest figure.
Watch
What a swimming pond sounds like.
See the work
Built to look like it was always there.
How it stays clear
The way a lake does it, sped up.
- The skimmer takes the surfaceLeaves, pollen and dust come off the top before they sink.
- The wetland takes the waterUp through gravel and plant roots, which eat what algae would have eaten.
- The intake bay takes the bottomWater is drawn from the floor so nothing settles and nothing goes stale.
- The waterfall puts it backOxygen in, sound on. The whole volume turns over every day.
Who builds it
Joey, Dan and the crew. Nobody else touches your yard.
Master Certified Aquascape Contractors, building since 2011 from Barrie and Warkworth. We design it with you and we build it ourselves.
"They built me a beautiful pond 5 years ago. It was beautiful then and has continued to thrive."Judy Langdon, Google review
Straight answers
What people ask Joey on the first call.
Is the water clean enough to swim in?
Yes. Half the pond is the deep zone you swim in. The other half is a planted wetland that filters it, the way a lake shoreline does, only faster. Clear, cold and chemical free.
What happens in an Ontario winter?
It freezes on top like a lake and everything below carries on. The liner and plumbing are built for the cold and you never drain it. We either keep the water moving all winter or shut the pump down for the deepest cold, your choice.
Mosquitoes?
No. Mosquitoes breed in still water and a swim pond is never still. Frogs and dragonflies handle the rest.
Does it need a fence?
In most Ontario towns, yes. Water deeper than 60 centimetres counts as a pool under the local enclosure bylaw. Barrie exempts planted garden ponds, Toronto and Peterborough do not. We tell you which rule applies to your address on the first call.
How much work is it each year?
Gardening plus light pool care. Empty the skimmer basket, trim plants in summer, net the leaves in fall, open it in spring. An hour or two a week in season, or put it on a plan.
Can I heat it?
Yes. A heat exchanger or solar heating works, and most owners find it warms naturally through June. We size the wetland with heating in mind.
Can I have fish?
Yes, and many of ours do. Fish add nutrients, so we size the filtration for them from the start.
How long does it take to build?
The Swim, our 25 x 20 four-footer, took nineteen working days on site. Bigger builds take longer. The water clears and settles over the first season.
What does a natural swimming pool cost?
From $81,100 for The Plunge and $105,900 for The Swim, waterfall included. Access, rock, decking, lighting and distance move the number. A free call gets you an honest figure for your yard.