Famed Rideau Canal Skateway to remain closed as warm weather persists

OTTAWA — Nicholas Leroy and his family travelled to Ottawa from France this week hoping to strap on some skates and glide their way along the world’s largest outdoor skating rink.

They will fly home Sunday disappointed.

Leroy, his wife and their two daughters were only able to look at the canal from afar because Ottawa’s winter is not co-operating.

The National Capital Commission said it still can’t open the Skateway this week because the weather has simply been too warm.

Before this year, the latest the canal has ever opened to skaters since its first season in 1970 was on Feb. 2, 2002.

Leroy said he and his family planned their trip in February specifically because they knew that the ice had been opening later in recent years. 

They even came well-prepared, decked out Thursday on Ottawa’s Sparks Street pedestrian mall in full colourful snowsuits — which also weren’t needed.

The mercury was well above freezing Thursday for the third day in a row, after hitting 9 C on Wednesday, a day that felt more like late March than the middle of winter.

While the temperatures are forecast to drop to more normal levels by the middle of next week, there are still fears the canal may not be open at all this year.

Toby Leon Moorsom and his wife, who are currently working outside the country, returned home to the Ottawa area hoping their son could experience a Canadian winter.

“He’s never learned to skate yet and he is Canadian, so it was a priority to try and give him a chance to experience ice skating,” said Moorsom.

He said knowing the closure is likely due to climate change is hitting him hard.

The Rideau Canal is one of the showpieces of the national capital tourism industry and the winter skating rink is a big draw. Since 1970, it has grown to a 7.8 km stretch through downtown Ottawa.

Jantine Van Kregten, a spokeswoman for Ottawa Tourism, said not having the Skateway open does change the city’s image but the closure may not be permanent.

“I still feel that skating on the canal will continue to be an option in years to come,” she said.

“Just because we had a mild winter in 2022-2023, that doesn’t mean that next winter is going to be mild.”

She also pointed out there are other options for skating, including an outdoor refrigerated rink near city hall just steps away from the canal.

The Skateway isn’t the only winter attraction facing issues due to the warm weather. Clearwater Ski Hill, 125 kilometres north of Kamloops, B.C., announced last week that it wouldn’t be opening this season because of a lack of snow and a “weird winter.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2023.

Maya Riachi, The Canadian Press