Red flag flying on Rideau Canal Skateway forces festival to cancel event
It's a new sign you won't be skating on the Rideau Canal Skateway anytime soon.
With the world's largest skating rink still closed, the Ice Dragon Boat Festival scheduled for next weekend has been cancelled.
"Unfortunately, we had to shut it down," organizer John Brooman said on Sunday.
The highly anticipated event during the opening weekend of Winterlude was supposed to mark its return after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, drawing spectators and participants from near and far to race on decorated dragon boats on the Rideau Canal Skateway.
While Winterlude is still going ahead, the cancellation is a setback for those who worked hard to bring the event back to life.
"We’re fully sold out at 110 teams," Brooman said. "There’s 70 per cent of the teams that are from out of town, that’s a huge tourism draw. That’s about a $4 million impact for the city of Ottawa lost."
Members of Ottawa's Chinatown Showboat team also disappointed to learn there would be no race.
"We were really excited to get back on the ice," team captain Richard Martin said.
Each year, the group raises funds for charity, picking a theme to dress up in for the big day.
"We looked at Frozen (characters), becoming penguins," he said. "We’re going to miss not showing these costumes on display and having fun with friends and family on ice this year.”
This comes as locals and tourists alike continue to wait for the Rideau Canal Skateway to open for its 53rd season. But the red flags along the skateway indicate the ice is not yet ready.
The winter has been mild and hasn’t reached the temperatures and number of consecutive cold days needed for the world's largest skating rink to open to the public.
The National Capital Commission says the surface must be at least 30 centimetres thick with good quality ice and for that to happen, we need 10 to 14 consecutive days of temperatures between minus 10 C and minus 20 C.
The amount of snow isn’t helping either. This month alone, Ottawa has seen more than 85 cm of snow, making it hard for crews to work on the ice.
In an email, the NCC tells CTV News Ottawa, "Our teams will resume their work early next week to build the thickness of the ice, following the snowfall of the last few days. In the meantime, for safety reasons, the NCC asks the public not to venture on the ice."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.
Flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.