Larry MacFarlane and his team continue to work away at ice blocks near the National War Memorial, turning ice into art.
“We’re building a memorial for the 1998 snowstorm that hit the eastern region of Canada,” said MacFarlane, referring to the ice storm that caused massive damage and left millions of Canadians without power in the middle of winter 25 years ago.
It's just one of the many ice sculptures you'll see at this year's Winterlude Festival, now in its 45th year. The popular winter festival returns with in-person activities for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MacFarlane, who came to Ottawa from Winnipeg, is also set to compete in the Ice Carving Championship this weekend on Sparks Street.
“It’s wonderful, I’ve been coming here for many years,” said MacFarlane, “I missed it last year because it was virtual. It wasn’t the same as seeing all the guys, all the competitors.”
Back for the festival is Snowflake Kingdom at Gatineau's Jacques Cartier Park. People of all ages are invited to slide down the snow slides, eat Beavertails and see the snow sculptures illuminated at night.
“Winterlude is an opportunity for visitors and people in the region to experience the joys of a Canadian winter,” said Canadian Heritage Capital Celebrations Director Melanie Brault.
In the heart of downtown Ottawa, restaurants like the Metropolitan Brasserie are also preparing to welcome the crowds.
“We’re seeing an uptick in reservations coming up this weekend,” said managing partner Sarah Chown. “In terms of staffing levels we’ll up our number in how many people are working.”
Those looking to skate on the famous Rideau Canal will have to wait, as recent warmer weather has kept the skateway closed. The delayed opening already led to the cancellation of the ice dragon boat festival.
Colder temperatures are on the way and the NCC says work continues to build the thickness of the ice. Officials are still warning people not to venture out onto the canal.
Winterlude runs from Feb. 3 to 20.
The Canadian Armed Forces is under fire for its plan to cut thousands of troops off a cost-of-living allowance without much notice.
Some parts of Twitter's source code -- the fundamental computer code on which the social network runs -- were leaked online, the social media company said in a legal filing on Sunday.
Black children in England and Wales were six times more likely to be strip-searched by police, according to a report being released Monday that found children were failed by those sworn to protect them.
Burial plots have become such a hot commodity in Metro Vancouver, one spot in a Burnaby cemetery is being sold privately online for $54,000.
The first hearing in a lawsuit brought by Prince Harry, singer Elton John and other high profile figures against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper over alleged phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy, is due to begin on Monday.
All seven bodies have been recovered from the site of a powerful explosion at a chocolate factory in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania, officials said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he's 'not satisfied' with his party's confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals — signed a year ago this week — because it's shown him he could do a better job running the country than the current government.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern waters Monday, continuing its weapons displays as the United States moved an aircraft carrier strike group to neighbouring waters for military exercises with the South.
The Florence museum housing Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece the 'David' invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign.
An emergency alert involving “a dangerous female with a handgun” in Indian Brook, N.S., has been cancelled, police say.
A Royal Canadian Navy frigate departed Halifax today as part of the federal government's wider strategy of boosting its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
As the Prince Edward Island election approaches its final week, the Green Party is fighting to hold onto its historic gains from the last provincial vote -- a battle some experts say could result in lost seats.
Police say one person is dead after a collision in a city west of Toronto shortly before midnight last night.
TTC riders may have to wait a bit longer for a bus, streetcar or subway starting Sunday.
One person has been seriously injured after a late-night stabbing on a Toronto bus.
A nine-year-old girl has died after a snow fort collapsed Sunday in the woods behind a Saint-Ubalde home, in the Portneuf RCM.
Montreal police say a fifth body has been extracted from the rubble of a heritage building that caught fire nine days ago, leaving two others still missing.
Jun Yao Wang and her mother, Qing Jie Li, say they are at their wit's end. The edge of their property on Chemin des Cageux near du Tremblay Street in Laval has become a dumping ground.
Inflation is now forcing some Canadians to find different ways to afford day-to-day expenses.
The Canadian Armed Forces is under fire for its plan to cut thousands of troops off a cost-of-living allowance without much notice.
A crash involving a commercial vehicle north of the Sault has completely closed Highway 17 from Highway 101 East in Wawa, Ont. to Frater Road before noon Sunday, the eastbound lane reopened around 7p.m.
One person is dead while another remains in hospital with serious injuries Sunday after a single vehicle collision involving a motor bike on the former River Road Golf Course in East London near the Thames River
NEW I Police in London, Ont. have launched an investigation following the discovery of a deceased man in the south end of the city on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday before a thoroughly packed house in Sudbury, Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing capped a masterful performance at the 2023 Canadian mixed doubles curling championship to add yet another national gold medal, and their first as teammates.
School might be out for spring break for many Manitoba students, but that isn't stopping them from learning about important climate issues.
Nearly five years after the legalization of marijuana in Canada, one local cannabis retailer feels Manitoba should be more proactive and flexible when it comes to regulating pot sales in our province.
A 49-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder and assault with a weapon in connection to injuries suffered by a 50-year-old woman in Cambridge.
Worries of a recession in 2023 got another jolt this weekend with former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz warning the country’s economy is at a greater risk of a “hard landing” – a rapid economic slowdown following a period of growth and approaching a recession. For small businesses, it's a prediction that brings concern.
Winter may be over, but there was still snow on the ground for hundreds of highflying snowmobilers at Chicopee Ski Resort this weekend.
A KLM flight bound for Calgary was delayed Sunday morning when an unruly passenger forced the airline to return to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.
The appreciation and respect shown by the public after two Edmonton Police Service officers were killed in the line of duty has not gone unnoticed, their families say.
April 7 is Green Shirt Day, which also marks the anniversary of Logan Boulet's death. Boulet, who was involved in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash five years ago, signed up to be an organ donor just weeks before the crash. Today, Green Shirt Day is meant to promote organ donor awareness and registration across Canada.
The Saskatoon Blades' last two home games of the season have been against the Regina Pats, and with top NHL prospect Connor Bedard drawing big crowds wherever he's playing, almost 30,000 fans have come through the turnstiles at Sasktel Centre.
City administrators are calling for a design change on Main Street and Clarence Avenue that would prevent vehicles from using Main Street as a thoroughfare rather than 8th Street.
The Village of Liberty is grieving the loss of its rink after it fell victim to a late night 'inferno' over the weekend.
The appreciation and respect shown by the public after two Edmonton Police Service officers were killed in the line of duty has not gone unnoticed, their families say.
The procession is scheduled to leave the Alberta Legislature grounds toward Rogers Place at approximately 11:45 a.m.
A team of friends and breast cancer survivors are headed to New Zealand in April to represent Edmonton in an international dragon boat racing competition.
Burial plots have become such a hot commodity in Metro Vancouver, one spot in a Burnaby cemetery is being sold privately online for $54,000.
A temporary foreign worker from the Philippines who was fired from her job as a caregiver after a cancer diagnosis has been awarded over $45,000 by the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
Three people were hospitalized after being hit by a car in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Saturday evening, according to authorities.
A fifth and final flight of displaced Ukrainians will arrive in Saskatchewan on March 27, according to the province.
The Village of Liberty is grieving the loss of its rink after it fell victim to a late night 'inferno' over the weekend.
Construction efforts are expected to begin on the south section of Regina's Ring Road.
