NEW THIS MORNING
Rideau Canal Skateway to remain closed this weekend for warm temperatures, rain
The red flag flies on the Rideau Canal Skateway, meaning the ice is unsafe for skaters on Jan. 31, 2023. (Jim O'Grady/CTV News Ottawa)
The Rideau Canal Skateway will remain closed this weekend, as hopes for another chance on the ice begin to fade.
Despite colder temperatures in the evenings helping conditions on the world-famous Skateway, the National Capital Commission (NCC) says upcoming rain and warm temperatures will prevent it from reopening.
"Staying off the #RideauCanal Skateway during the warm weather will help us preserve the ice and save the progress we’ve made over the last few cold nights," the NCC said on social media.
"We’re hoping for colder weather next week."
The red flag on the Skateway went up on Jan. 25 after only four days of skating. A stretch of cold weather allowed the National Capital Commission to open the canal on Jan. 21, but was closed four days later due to mild temperatures and freezing rain.
Earlier this week, NCC officials said the ice was soft and crews needed to wait for the ice to get hard again before resuming operations on it.
The decision is a blow to several weekend Winterlude events. Organizers of the Ice Dragon Boat Festival say the annual races on the Rideau Canal Skateway have been cancelled for the second year in a row due to high temperatures.
The event was scheduled to take place at Dow's Lake this Friday and Saturday.
Environment Canada says temperatures will reach a high of 7 C and a low of 2 C on Friday. The above seasonal temperatures will continue through the weekend, with highs of 5 C on Saturday and 1 C on Sunday.
Starting of Sunday night, temperatures will start to drop to reach a low of -9 C.
The NCC said approximately 60,000 people went skating on the stretch of the canal that was open between the Pretoria Bridge and Bank Street.
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