NEW THIS MORNING
What's happening in Ottawa this weekend: Feb. 25-27
The Rideau Canal Skateway opened for its 52nd season on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at activities and events happening in Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec during the final weekend of February.
OTTAWA SENATORS
The Ottawa Senators host the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre.
Puck drop is 7 p.m.
For ticket information, visit nhl.com/senators.
RIDEAU CANAL SKATEWAY
The green flag is flying on sections of the Rideau Canal Skateway.
A 3.8 kilometre section of the world's largest skating rink is open from Somerset Street to Bank Street.
A 3.2 kilometre section from Bank Street to Hartwells Locks and Dow's Lake will open today.
For more information, visit the National Capital Commission's website.
Lily Newton, 6, out for a skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway during lunch break from school. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
MUSEUMS
The Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History will reopen on Saturday.
The National Gallery of Canada will reopen on Saturday.
For information on each museum in the region, visit the websites.
- Museum of Nature
- Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
- Canada Science and Technology Museum
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum
- Canadian War Museum
- Canadian Museum of History
- National Gallery of Canada
- The Diefenbunker
SKATING
Ottawa's four outdoor refrigerated skating rinks are open for skating.
Rink of Dreams at Ottawa City Hall
- Daily 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Lansdowne Park Skating Court
- Daily: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Ben Franklin Place Skating Rink
- Daily: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink
- For skating times, visit https://ottawa.ca/en/jim-tubman-chevrolet-rink#schedule
For a list of outdoor rinks in the city of Ottawa, visit https://ottawa.ca/en/recreation-and-parks/skating/outdoor-rinks. Residents must book reservations at ottawa.ca/skating to skate at Ottawa's indoor rinks.
Skaters enjoy the rink at Lansdowne Park on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2020.
OUTDOOR RINKS ACROSS THE REGION
Gatineau has 82 outdoor rinks available. For more information, visit Gatineau's website
The city of Kingston's Springer Market Square Rink is open. For information on other rinks in Kingston, visit the city's website
RIVEROAK – NATURE'S PLAYGROUND
Enjoy a skate through an orchard, forest and meadows at RiverOak Winter Trails on York's Corners Road in Ottawa.
If you don't want to skate, RiverOak also provides snowshoe and hiking trails.
For more information, visit https://www.riveroak.ca/skating.
Skaters enjoy the RiverOak Skating Trail in Metcalfe on Thursday, Feb 4, 2021. (Katie Griffin/CTV Ottawa).
THE LITTLE PENGUIN TRAIL
Little Penguin Trail is an outdoor skating rink built on the Touraine Golf Club.
Located just 25 minutes from downtown Ottawa on Chemin Tache in Gatineau, enjoy skating on over 5 kilometres of icy path in the middle of nature.
A daily pass starts at $15.
For more information, visit https://thelittlepenguintrail.com/
The map at the Little Penguin Trail in Gatineau, Que., showing the different loops and paths skaters can take. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)
COUNTRYSIDE ADVENTURES
Skate through the woods on a three kilometre trail at Countryside Adventures.
There's also three kilometres of snowshoe and cross-country ski trails, along with a tubing hill.
Countryside Adventures is located at 16495 Sixth Rd. in Moose Creek, 45 minutes north of downtown Ottawa.
For more information, visit https://www.countrysideadventures.ca/.
Scott Anderson heads onto the three-kilometre skating trail at Countryside Adventures in Moose Creek, Ont. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)
PATINAGE EN FORET
Discover the enchanting site of skating in the forest at Patinage en Foret in Lac-Des-Loups, Que, 45 minutes from downtown Ottawa.
Proof of vaccination and photo ID is required to access Patinage en Foret. The cost is $18 for adults and $14 for kids.
For more information, visit https://www.patinageenforet.com/en/.
Monica Bourque, left, skates with daughter Katherine Rupay, 5, and sister Lisa Bourque at Patinage en Foret, or Skating Through the Forest, in Lac des Loups, Quebec, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
GATINEAU PARK
You can go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snow biking and winter hiking in Gatineau Park this weekend.
For more information and winter passes to access the park, visit https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/gatineau-parkhttps://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/gatineau-park
WINTER TRAILS IN OTTAWA
Over 100 kilometres of trails are groomed in Ottawa for winter recreational activities.
The National Capital Commission invites you to get out cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking and walking. Access is free.
Locations include the Mer Bleue conservation area and the Rideau Winter Trail along the Rideau River.
For information on winter trails in Ottawa, visit https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/groomed-multi-use-winter-trails
Skiers enjoy the Rideau Winter Trail along the Rideau River. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)
MOONEY'S BAY SKI CENTRE
The Mooney's Bay Ski Centre at Terry Fox Athletic Facility features 5 kilometres of groomed trails for cross-country skiing, including lit trails for night skiing.
For more information, visit https://ottawa.ca/en/recreation-and-parks/sports#mooneys-bay-ski-centre
PINHEY FOREST TRAILS
You can go for a winter hike on two trails in the Pinhey Forest in the city of Ottawa.
Year-round parking access available behind the Nepean Sportsplex.
For more information, visit https://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/index.php?url=trails/view/pinhey-forest-trails
SKIING
Ski resorts are open across eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Visit each resort's website for details.
- Camp Fortune
- Calabogie Peaks
- Mont Cascades
- Mont Pakenham
- Mont Ste. Marie
- Ski Vorlage
- Sommet Edelweiss
SWIMMING
Ottawa's indoor swimming pools are open.
For information on swim times and reservations, visit https://ottawa.ca/en/recreation-and-parks/swimming#public-swimming
THE OTTAWA HOME AND REMODELLING SHOW
The Ottawa Home and Remodelling Show is this weekend at the EY Centre.
All visitors must provide proof of vaccination along with photo ID to enter.
For more information, visit https://ottawahomeandremodellingshow.com/
613 FLEA
613 Flea returns to the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Masks are mandatory, and all visitors must show proof of vaccination to enter.
OTTAWA FARMERS' MARKET
The Ottawa Farmers Market Winter Market is open every Sunday at Lansdowne Park.
The market is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Aberdeen Pavilion.
FRIDAYS AT THE FOURTH
The National Arts Centre presents Fridays at the Fourth with Desiire Friday night.
For tickets, visit https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/30148
TORONTO COMEDY ALL STARS
The Toronto Comedy All Stars take the stage at the Fourth Stage of the National Arts Centre Saturday night.
For tickets, visit https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/30187
OTTAWA FIRE VIRTUAL TOURS
The Ottawa Fire Service is inviting you to tour two fire stations virtually.
The service has teamed up with a local videographer to create two high-quality virtual station tours of Fire Station 53 in Orleans and Fire Station 73 in Vars.
The virtual station tours are in English with French subtitles.
For Station 53, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx6dyMNVkLE
For Station 73, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3hqBTnW29k
PARC OMEGA
Parc Omega is open in Montebello, Que.
For more information, visit https://www.parcomega.ca/en/.
FEED THE CHICKADEES
While out for a family winter hike, feed the chickadees.
You can find chickadees at Stony Swamp Conservation, Mud Lake Conservation and Mer Bleue.
For more information, visit https://ottawariverlifestyle.com/blogs/news/where-to-feed-chickadees-in-ottawa
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