Rideau Canal Skateway will not open for start of Winterlude, NCC says
The Rideau Canal Skateway will not be open for the first weekend of Winterlude, the National Capital Commission says.
Mild January temperatures and heavy snow have kept the world's largest skateway closed for skating this winter.
While crews have resumed operations in an attempt to open the Rideau Canal Skateway for its 53rd season, an NCC spokesperson tells CTV News Ottawa the canal will not open in time for the first weekend of Winterlude on Friday.
“The colder temperatures expected this week and over the weekend are good news for the Rideau Canal Skateway,” the NCC said in a statement.
“While the Skateway will not be open for the first weekend of February, our teams are working relentlessly to safely open a section of the Skateway, flooding the ice surface every evening.“
The Rideau Canal Skateway is a popular draw for Winterlude and winter tourist activities in Ottawa.
If the Rideau Canal Skateway does open this winter, it would be the latest opening date in the history of the skateway. The latest opening date is Feb. 2, 2002.
The NCC is reminding people to stay off the Rideau Canal Skateway until it's open for skating.
"The ice is still unstable on many sections of the canal, so it’s important to remind the public not to not venture on it," the NCC said.
The opening date for the Rideau Canal Skateway has been getting later over the years.
In the canal's first 26 seasons, the median opening date was Dec. 27. In the 26 years since the 1995-96 season, the median opening date has been Jan. 10. Across all 52 skating seasons, the median opening date is Jan. 1.
Skaters at the nearby Rink of Dreams at Ottawa city hall said they are hoping the canal will open soon.
“Hopefully it will open soon,” said Sophia Reimer, lacing up for her first skate of the season.
“We were hoping it would be on the canal but sadly we're just here on this little patch of ice,” added her sister Leah.
“I actually had hope it was opening next week, but now I kind of lost that hope,” said Andrea Suarez.
Winterlude organizers point out that although the canal won't be open, there's still a full slate of activities for the winter festival's opening weekend.
“We have the Canadian Ice Carving Championships underway Friday,” said Winterlude spokesperson Melanie Brault. “They'll have 20 hours and 15 large blocks of ice. The theme is underwater creatures.”
This week's colder temperatures brings promise the canal will open this season. But for now, those hoping to hit the ice will have to find another alternative.
“I'm happy there's options but the canal is way better: less crowded, more fun, a more authentic experience,” said Leah.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Ted Raymond and Jackie Perez
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.