Gemeentehaven is an access point on the Stadsbuitengracht, the historic outer canal that encircles the old city of Utrecht.

The Stadsbuitengracht dates to 1122, when construction of Utrecht's defensive canal network began, making it one of the oldest waterways in the Netherlands.

In the 1970s, part of the canal was filled in and converted to a motorway, but a long-running restoration effort — backed by a 2002 public referendum — eventually returned water to the route.

The fully restored canal, also known as the Catharijnesingel along one stretch, reopened in 2020. Today the Stadsbuitengracht is a popular waterway, drawing pleasure boats from across the country and abroad, particularly in summer.