NCC closes Rideau Canal Skateway for 2020 season

First day of the Rideau Canal skating season (2015). Photo by James Peltzer via the OttawaStart Flickr pool.

(Via NCC)

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is disappointed to report that the Rideau Canal Skateway will not reopen this winter, marking the end of its 50th season since its first opening in January 1971.

The unusually warm weather earlier this week resulted in a significant degradation of the ice. With a major snowfall in the forecast, followed by higher temperatures, our mighty maintenance team can no longer ensure safe ice conditions.

The NCC would like to thank all the Skateway users and partners who helped celebrate this milestone season.

Even with Mother Nature’s variable weather, we are pleased that the Skateway was open for the three Winterlude weekends among its 31 skating days, welcoming more than 381,000 visits in total for the season. This includes an average of over 46,000 visits daily on the festival’s last weekend.

The good news: winter is not over! The NCC invites everyone to enjoy our region’s trails. So, grab those skis, snowshoes and boots, or hop on your fat bike to take full advantage of the NCC’s other recreational offerings.