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Skating season delayed on Ottawa's Rideau Canal


Staff writers
January 3, 2012 — Those eager to lace up their skates and hit the ice will have to wait a little while longer. Ottawa's Rideau Canal still not suitable for skating. The video below takes us back to winter 2001/2002, when the skating season also got off to a late start.


Canal draws an average of one million visits each year. Photo courtesy: Adrienne Paynter
Canal draws an average of one million visits each year. Photo courtesy: Adrienne Paynter

The Rideau Canal usually opens at the beginning of January, but the National Capital Commission (NCC) announced on Monday that the ice is still not thick enough to skate on.

Officials say the ice thickness must be at least 30 cm (12 inches) to safely support skaters. Recent rain and fluctuating temperatures has prevented the ice from solidifying. And while some snow blanketed the region over the holidays, the NCC says the snow acts as a thermal blanket and keeps the ice from thickening.

Last year the Canal opened on January 8 and skating was allowed for 53 of the 58-day season. Unlike the mild winter of 2001-2002, which marked the shortest season in the Canal's history with only 26 days available to hit the ice.

The famous stretch of ice draws an average of one million visits each year. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

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