By Canadian Press

Thin ice: Ottawa’s Rideau Canal still isn’t open for skating, despite cold weather

Jan 19, 2024 | 9:50 AM

Ottawa is looking at another weekend without skating on the Rideau Canal, even with below-normal winter temperatures on the horizon for the weekend.

The National Capital Commission, which manages the famous skateway, says it is reassessing the conditions of the ice now that cold weather finally descended on the city over the last week but it hasn’t announced an opening date yet.

The canal failed to open to skating for the first time in its history last winter and anxiety in the city is high around its fate this year.

The commission is even turning to social media to try and will colder weather, sharing a playlist with songs such as “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice.

The canal needs at least 30 centimetres of ice for the skateway to open which requires 10 to 14 days of weather between -10 C and -20 C.

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Environment Canada meteorologist Trudy Kidd says Ottawa’s weekend temperatures should fall between -9 C and -13 C before warming up to just below freezing next week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2024.

The Canadian Press