OTTAWA — The Crown corporation that manages Ottawa's Rideau Canal says a section of the famous skateway is to open on Sunday for the first time this winter.
The National Capital Commission says after a mild start to the winter, it is excited to kick off its 54th season of the Rideau Canal Skateway as recent cold temperatures and efforts by its team have resulted in ice thick enough for safe public skating.
Last year, the NCC waited until late February to concede the skateway would not be able to open for the first time in its history, and anxiety in the nation's capital had been high about its fate this year.
The commission says at 9 a.m. on Sunday, skaters can glide on a 1.9 kilometre stretch of the canal, between the Pretoria Bridge and the Bank Street access points.
The NCC says it is working on opening more sections as soon as ice conditions become safer.
The canal needs at least 30 centimetres of ice for the skateway to open, which usually requires 10 to 14 days of weather between -10 C and -20 C.
"We appreciate everyone’s patience and are thrilled to welcome skaters and visitors in the heart of the nation’s capital," the NCC said in a statement on Saturday.
"Early winter conditions proved challenging for Skateway operations/maintenance. The NCC is continuing its partnership with Carleton University to identify strategies to adapt operations to the impacts of climate change."
Earlier this week, the NCC said members of its maintenance team had flooded 6.2 km of the skateway. They used pumps to draw water from the canal and onto the surface to turn snow into ice.
NCC says the canal -- when frozen -- is the world’s largest skating rink, equivalent to more than 140 National Hockey League rinks, or more than 122 Olympic-sized hockey rinks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2024.
The Canadian Press
