OTTAWA – This December ragging the puck, faceoffs, and spinning will be commonplace on Parliament Hill, on the lawn that is.
Canadian Heritage is building the first ever skating rink on the lawn of Parliament Hill, and construction is already underway.
The rink will open on Dec. 7 through to New Years’ Eve, and Canadians are welcome to lace up and get on the ice, for free.
It’s one of the closing events marking the sesquicentennial, and crews have started preparation on the east side of the lawn.
In a partnership with the Ottawa Senators and the Ottawa International Hockey Festival, the ice surface is expected to be home to “a variety of winter, cultural and sports activities,” throughout the month, according to Canadian Heritage.
The rink’s opening coincides with the Christmas Lights Across Canada illumination ceremony on Dec. 7 and will go out with a bang on Dec. 31.
More details on events to be held on the Hill are expected to be released over the next few weeks, but plans are already in place for the rink to host the Bell Capital Cup, an Ottawa youth hockey tournament; as well as being a centrepiece of cross-country events for Canada 150 Skating Day on Dec. 10.
