Winter sports fans will soon have the opportunity to skate on the world’s largest natural ice rink, scheduled to open in January, according to the National Capital Commission (NCC).
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For the Senior Facilities Manager at the CCNBruce Devine, the question is not if the Rideau Canal skating rink will open, but when residents can start skating.
I can confirm that it will be done in January
he says.
Before the warm spell of the holiday season, we had a little cold spell and we took advantage of it to start watering, to get ahead […] it paid off
he explains.
The CCN informs that watering has resumed with the arrival of cold temperatures and that the results are promising.
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The NCC informs that watering has resumed with the arrival of cold temperatures.
Photo: - / Nicolas Legault
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Peter Kimbell, the cold temperatures expected in January should be beneficial for the rink team.
[Les températures] last winter were milder than normal so it was bad news for the canal. This winter, so far, we think we will see colder temperatures. We hope that we will be able to skate longer than what we saw in 2023 and 2024
he explains.
Over the past seven years, the Rideau Canal Ice Rink has been open 205 days for skaters.
Using the Rideau Canal Ice Rink
| Saison | Opening | Closing | Skating days | Visits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | January 21, 2024 | February 25, 2024 | 10 | More than 160,000 |
| 2022-2023 | Not open | – | – | – |
| 2021-2022 | January 14, 2022 | 5 mars 2022 | 41 | 632 229 |
| 2020–2021 | January 28, 2021 | February 25, 2021 | 26 | 508 299 |
| 2019–2020 | January 18, 2020 | February 22, 2020 | 31 | 381 509 |
| 2018-2019 | December 30, 2018 | 10 mars 2019 | 59 | 1 493 524 |
| 2017-2018 | January 5, 2018 | February 22, 2018 | 35 | 968 983 |
A tourism asset for Ottawa
The ice rink was only open for a few days in 2024. The previous year it was not accessible all season. However, the Rideau Canal remains a must-see attraction in Ottawa, according to the director of public affairs for Ottawa Tourism, Jérôme Miousse.
The Curtain Canal is Ottawa’s winter tourist signature. It’s what people come to Ottawa for…it’s on a lot of people’s bucket lists.
Mr. Miousse prefers to remain optimistic despite the challenges linked to climate change: The important thing right now is to think about the resilience of the tourism industry and the sustainability of our activities.
.
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Jérôme Miousse insists on the need to diversify the activities offered in the national capital to attract visitors, even when the weather is less forgiving. (Archive photo)
Photo : -
However, he insists on the need to diversify
the activities offered in the capital.
For his part, Conor Jacobson, an employee of the Craft Beer Marketa bar located near the Rideau Canal, observed that the clientele increased as soon as the rink opened.
When the skating rink is open, we no longer have customers who come here to eat,
he explains.
The National Capital Commission says it should be able to confirm the exact opening date of the rink by the end of this week.
With information from Emmanuelle Poisson and Alexandra Angers
