Ottawa's Rideau Canal Skateway facing uncertain future due to warm weather trends
As warm weather continues to hamper the skating season on the iconic Rideau Canal Skateway, enthusiasts are concerned about its future viability.
With only seven days of skating this season due to adverse weather conditions, there are questions about whether the world's largest skating rink might face permanent closure.
Lucille O'Connor took to the canal Tuesday morning for her first, and likely last, day of skating this season.
"The conditions are poor to fair, but I would say it's pretty good if you skate along the edges," she says. "I usually skate the whole canal, and I do really good conditions only, but this year, if I didn't do this, I wouldn't do it at all. We're having more warm mix with the cold than I remember having."
Despite the efforts of National Capital Commission (NCC) crews to prepare the canal, temperature, rain and heavy snowfall posed significant challenges. The Skateway is reliant on weather conditions and this season has seen record-breaking warmth.
"We just had to do it. We've been skating for years on the canal, and we really missed not having the canal last year," says Ottawa resident Lise Perrier. "We will come back tomorrow for another skate if we can. It won't be open for much longer. There's no doubt in my mind that it's global warming."
"We've been skating for years on the canal, and we really missed not having the canal last year," says Ottawa resident Lise Perrier. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)
With above zero temperatures and rain expected in the coming days, the skating season could shut down for good. David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, says a handful of abnormal Ottawa winters does not make a trend, but the reality is the overall temperature is on the rise.
"The average temperature in January, the beginning of this century was say, -11 average of the highs and all the lows. Well, we see that being maybe by 2030 -8 and by the middle of the century to maybe 2060 of -6 or -7," he says. "That will be the challenge. It may be certainly a winter that will be shorter; it'll be a winter that you will still get those cold bouts of weather, but they won't be as long and they won't be as intensely cold. So this is the challenge that people face."
The NCC says it has been assessing and preparing for the impacts of climate change for several years and continues to learn about the effects of milder winters on the Skateway.
Along with a variety of approaches, like early ice flooding that could help build ice faster, the NCC is also monitoring weather and water temperatures and using the data to explore potential adaptation strategies, including a partnership with Carleton University to help identify strategies to adapt ice surface operations to the impacts of climate change.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Child under 5 dies of measles in Ontario: PHO
A young child under the age of 5, who was not immunized against the virus, has died of measles in the province, a new surveillance report from Public Health Ontario confirms.
NEW Pack the macaroni necklace: Lessons on evacuations from a woman who fled one of Canada's worst wildfires
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
French police fatally shoot a man suspected of setting fire to a synagogue
French police shot and killed a man armed with a knife and a metal bar who is suspected of having set fire to a synagogue in the Normandy city of Rouen early on Friday, the latest apparent act in a storm of antisemitism roiling France amid the Israel-Hamas war.
NEW 'Ugly produce': One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
5 secrets to moving better and preventing avoidable injury
Countless people seek emergency care for back pain, muscle strains and similar injuries resulting from “moving wrong” during mundane, everyday tasks such as bending over to tie shoes, lifting objects or doing household chores.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Wildfires burning across Canada: Communities threatened as flames creep closer
Thousands of residents fled Fort McMurray this week, fearing a repeat of the 2016 wildfire that forced out the entire community and torched more than 2,400 homes.
Miller scores late as Canucks grind out 3-2 win over Oilers in Game 5
J.T. Miller scored in the final minute of the game and the Vancouver Canucks came back for a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday.