Rideau Canal Skateway sees 66,000 skaters in one weekend
Skaters on the Rideau Canal on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)
Extreme cold warnings did not keep skaters from visiting the Rideau Canal Skateway this weekend.
According to the National Capital Commission, there were approximately 66,000 visits to the canal on Jan. 22 and 23. The skateway typically averages about 21,000 visits a day
Donna Goodkey was one of the visitors.
“I was out this weekend in the freezing cold…It was extremely busy with families; it was nice to see people out, actually,” she said.
The NCC says there have been about 150,000 total visits to the Skateway since the season opened on Jan. 14.
Emilie Snider skated the canal on Tuesday and say she wants to make it a regular daily trip.
“I love it,” Snider said. “I know people that have come like three times already because nothing else is open. It is a breath of fresh air.”
Many visitors saying the canal offers relief from pandemic stresses. Catherine Charbonneau says, “Absolutely – especially the way the Christmas holidays were, kids are back in school, I am nurse and, on my day off, and needed to get outside, vitamin D!”
Last year the season opened on Jan. 28 and ended on Feb. 25 with a total of 26 skating days. The Skateway usually averages about 50 skating days a year.
A record-breaking year was set during the 2018-2019 season with 59 skating days and a total of nearly 1.5 million visits.
Skaters like Donna Goodkey hoping this season can match that.
“The canal is something to feel a little free during this time.”
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