NCC not giving up on Skateway reopening during last weekend of Winterlude

The National Capital Commission says it is staying optimistic the Rideau Canal Skateway will reopen as early as this weekend.

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"After last night’s snowfall, crews flooded the Skateway this morning to thicken the ice," the NCC said on social media Friday.

"We expect the water to continue to freeze overnight and will assess the ice tomorrow to determine whether we have sufficient thickness and quality."

Crews from the National Capital Commission were out flooding the surface on Friday trying to get the ice ready for the weekend.

"I do hope to get the chance to skate on the Rideau Canal this year, especially since last year, it was closed," said Mary Kilby, an Ottawa resident.

Ice carvers on Sparks Street at Winterlude. Feb. 16, 2024. (Natalie van Rooy/CTV News Ottawa)"It would be lovely if they were open, but it’s a pretty rough surface right now so I’m not sure what the set up is going to be to smooth it out," said Alison Eddy, who lives near the canal.

Reopening the Skateway would be a major boost to the final weekend of Winterlude, which so far hasn’t seen the canal open at all.

"Of course, we want nothing but for the canal to open. We are crossing our fingers like everyone else that we will get some wonderful news from the NCC," said Melanie Brault, a spokesperson for Heritage Canada.

It’s also a bonus for nearby businesses, like Delysees Luxury Desserts, which opened four months ago in Lansdowne.

"I hope so of course not just for the business aspect, but the canal is such an important aspect of Ottawa and for people to enjoy the festivities of course," said Fred Naggar, the creative director of the business.

A wet Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa. Skating remains prohibited on the melting ice surface in the nation's capital amid unseasonably high temperatures. (Sam Houpt/CTV News Ottawa)The Skateway has been closed since Jan. 25 when mild weather and freezing rain made the ice unsafe, after being open for only four days this season.

This week's evening temperatures have been consistently closer to the ideal -10 C the NCC wants for the canal to open. The NCC says it usually needs between 10 to 14 days of consecutive cold weather between -10 C to -20 C before opening the Skateway.

Environment Canada is predicting overnight lows to reach -12 C on Friday and -16 C on Saturday.

Last month's reopening was the first time the Skateway reopened in nearly 700 days.