The long-polluted river is finally opening up as a summertime swim spot following a massive, expensive cleanup project that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year. Three new swimming sites on the Paris riverbank are set to open Saturday, including one close to Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral, another near the Eiffel Tower and a third in eastern Paris. The River Seine was one of the stars of the Paris Olympics, whether as the scene of the ambitious opening ceremony or the triathlon and marathon swimming competitions. That didn't go without challenging hurdles such as rainfall increasing levels of bacteria, which postponed some competitions. This time, Paris authorities said all lights are green for the public opening, including hot, sunny weather and water quality results consistently in line with European regulations. "It's a symbolic moment when we get our river back," said sports coach and influencer Lucile Woodward, who will participate in the first amateur open water competition in the Seine on Sunday morning. Woodward already enjoyed a dip alongside Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo just before the Olympics, making her confident things will go well. "We're going to enjoy swimming in it, being there and setting an example," she said. "Once people will see that in the end there are hundreds of people who have fun and enjoy it, everyone will want to go!" "For families, going to take a dip with the kids, making little splashes in Paris, it's extraordinary," Woodward added. (Jamaica Gleaner)