NCC opens second section of canal skate way

Skaters can now glide along 3.6 kilometres of the Rideau Canal.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) opened another 1.4 kilometres of the Rideau Canal Skateway Jan. 20.

As of 8 a.m., the section between the Bank Street Bridge and the Corktown Footbridge at Somerset Street had been opened to the public. People can get onto the ice using entrances along this opened area, the NCC said in a news release.

The NCC initially opened 2.2 km of the skate way between the Pretoria and Bank street bridges on Sunday.

More than half of the skateway is still closed off.

The NHL All-Star Game has activities planned on the canal next week, and Winterlude also relies on the skateway to attract tourists to the city from Feb. 3 to 20.

The NCC news release said city crews are working towards opening the rest of canal “as soon as ice conditions are safe and weather permits.” The release urges pedestrians and skaters to stay off closed sections.