Daniel Heath, Centretown News
The Rideau Canal Skateway will be closed this upcoming weekend.Ottawa’s skating enthusiasts won’t be happy with this news: the National Capital Commission (NCC) has announced the Rideau Canal will remain closed this weekend due to warm weather conditions.
Although the canal was closed during this past week, skaters remained optimistic for the weekend, with Winterlude festivities set to continue – including dancing at night or playing around at the continent’s largest snow playground.
The news is especially disappointing for businesses on and around the canal that rely on the skate traffic.
For Kathryn Cruickshank, an employee at Dow’s Lake Pavilion, the closure of the skateway is particularly frustrating.
“The news wasn’t unexpected but it’s still disappointing … it was hard last week too, because we didn’t even know it was opening up,” says Cruickshank.
The conditions on the canal are especially noticeable after recent record-breaking year.
“The last two seasons have been great … they were both record years,” says Cruickshank. “We were open almost continuously from New Years to March break last year.”
The canal’s ice conditions may improve in the near future, with temperatures expected to drop next week. According to the NCC, crews are working hard to make sure the canal will reopen as soon as possible.