OTTAWA

Rideau Canal Skateway closes for season

Josh Pringle CTV Morning Live
Published Monday, March 11, 2019 2:50AM EDT Last Updated Monday, March 11, 2019 2:50AM EDT

People skate under Queen Elizabeth Driveway to Paterson Creek on the Rideau Canal Skateway on its opening day, in Ottawa on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)

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The Red Flag is flying on the Rideau Canal Skateway after a record breaking season.

The National Capital Commission closed the skateway for the season at 10 p.m. Sunday night. Officials say the snow, rain and warmer temperatures have negatively impacted the ice, adding conditions are “not conducive to repairing it any further this season.

The skating season lasted 71 days, making it the longest season in more than 13 years. During this period, the green flag was flying for 59 days.

A record 1.4 million people visited the Rideau Canal Skateway by March 7. That exceeded the previous record for visitors of 1.3 million in 2000-2001.

This wonderful skating season on the #RideauCanal Skateway is over! Thanks to all the visitors who came to skate or stroll on the Skateway, a unique icon of Canadian winter traditions. See you next year! #Ottawa #CanalMoments pic.twitter.com/KsvkpNYCri
— RideauCanalSkateway (@NCC_Skateway) March 10, 2019