By Andrew Perez
Winterlude will go ahead with a full slate of activities despite recent mild temperatures, which have fuelled uncertainty among residents, officials and small businesses, says the National Capital Commission.
Warm temperatures in December and early January raised concerns about the viability of the winter carnival.
Guy Laflamme, vice-president of national programming and marketing for the NCC, says they have been adapting Winterlude programming over the past decade so that it is less vulnerable to the weather.
“We’ve had weather problems with past Winterludes, but we’ve had over 10 years to prepare for such conditions through contingency plans,” he says.
For instance, the NCC will double snowmaking equipment in the Jacques-Cartier Park, relocate activities from the Rideau Canal to solid ground, and install large tents to protect ice sculptures from the heat.
Laflamme says a portion of Gatineau Park will be covered with a large tent to protect against possibility of mud and slush at events.
But not all that is new at this year’s Winterlude festival will be behind the scenes.
New activities will be introduced to kickoff the festival’s “Winter Learning” theme.
“The NCC will be hosting workshops to help people learn about northern traditions and the northern culture,” says Laflamme. “We want to teach how people lived through the mid-1800s to early 1900s in Canada through live interpretations with actors and comedians wearing period costumes.”
But some Ottawa residents are concerned the canal might not open in time for the festival’s debut.
“If there’s no canal, I don’t think there’s going to be much of a Winterlude,” says James Brooks, a student at the University of Ottawa, who plans to skate on the canal.
Laflamme says the NCC has hosted successful Winterlude activities in the past without the canal. The NCC recognizes the canal is an important part of the Winterlude experience, but the vast majority of activities will be offered regadless of whether the canal opens on time or not.
Ottawa area residents can log onto the NCC’s website to keep tabs on when the canal will open.
Jantine Van Kregten, director of communication for Ottawa Tourism, says mild weather can have its upsides for Winterlude.
“Some tourists would much rather enjoy what Winterlude has to offer in the comfort of mild weather, rather than freezing their butts off,” she says.
More mild weather, she says, will affect the Ottawa tourism industry.
The 2004 Winterlude festival accounted for $82.5 million in revenue for the city of Ottawa during the festival’s three-week period.
“For the city to enjoy similar economic activity as in 2004, the weather will have to pick up very soon,” she says.