Outdoor enthusiasts take to recently reopened Rideau Canal Skateway

After a week of closure, the ice on the full Rideau Canal Skateway is once again open to skaters. CTV’s Camille Wilson reports.

The green flag is flying once again on the Rideau Canal Skateway.

On Saturday, skaters from all over took off on the Rideau Canal Skateway, which had been closed for more than a week due to a stretch of warm weather.

“People were just waiting for the call to come back,” says Bruce Devine, senior manager with The National Capital Commission.

“This is an international icon for all Canadians. We’re thrilled to be able to reopen it.”

The National Capital Commission announced that the full 7.8-kilometre skateway reopened Friday at 4 p.m.

“After a week of mild and rainy weather, our team took advantage of the return of cold temperatures to sweep, flood and smooth the ice, which is now ready to welcome skaters and walkers,” the NCC said in a news release.

Seth and Shana Hogg travelling from the United States to Ottawa for the first time just to skate on the Rideau Canal and were worried that it may not have reopened in time for their trip.

“We planned this long weekend trip up to actually come here, so we were a little nervous it wasn’t going to reopen, and it did,” Shana said. “We’re really excited to be here.”

Rental services, change rooms and food and beverage concessions also opened back up.

“I think it means a lot of people are going to be wanting to make up for that time that they’ve lost,” says Angelica Vaillancourt, a manager at Beavertails.

The NCC says the maintenance teams were great at getting rid of snow, flooding the surface and smoothing the ice all over again, all to get the skateway back in good condition.

For the latest updates on ice conditions and operating hours for the skateway, visit the NCC’s website.

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