Skaters on the Rideau Canal Skateway are enjoying a longer glide this weekend after another stretch of ice opened Saturday morning. On New Year’s Eve, a 3.4 kilometre stretch of the canal was opened to the public for skating, marking the first time the canal opened in December since 2018. On Friday, an additional 800 metres of ice became available, allowing skaters to start even closer to downtown. With the latest extension, 4.2 kilometres of ice from the Rideau Rest Area to the Bank Street Bridge are now open for skating, drawing more visitors to the city and giving nearby businesses a welcome winter boost. For Haley Skinner and her family, the timing couldn’t have been any better. “We used to live in Ottawa, so we’re really happy to bring them and get to have this experience with them,” Skinner said alongside her three children. “The ice conditions are really great and we’re having a lot of fun.” The Skinners travelled from Kingston for the weekend after hearing that 3.4 kilometres of the Skateway had opened earlier than normal. When they arrived Saturday morning, they were pleasantly surprised to see even more ice ready for skaters. “We’re super excited, we got on right at Rideau with the kids,” Skinner said. “It’s their first time on the canal, so they’re super excited.” The newly opened section runs from Somerset Street to the Rideau Rest Area, an area that typically takes longer to open during the season. Along with the expanded skating route, Capital Skates Rentals is now open at the Rest Area. However, skaters entering at that location will need to make their way to the Concord access point to grab a classic canal treat. “Yes, BeaverTails have been mentioned already,” Skinner said with a laugh. “They’re looking forward to enjoying that as well.” BeaverTails has one location operating at the Fifth rest area, with a second planned to open at the Rideau rest area. BeaverTails staff say canal season is something they look forward to every year, especially as more visitors make their way to Ottawa. “We can’t wait for the other location to open,” said Miera McGoey, a manager with BeaverTails. “We can’t wait to really kick things off and have all our locations open on the full canal stretch.” “It’s actually wonderful,” McGoey adds. “A lot of tourism comes in, and it’s lovely hearing people’s stories and getting to talk to visitors.” It’s not just businesses on the ice feeling the impact. Restaurants and shops near the canal say canal season brings a noticeable increase in foot traffic. “The canal is just more of a good thing,” Brendan Boucher, a server at The Rowan on Bank Street says. “We’re super thankful to have so many great people come in, and it helps being in a high-traffic area with lots going on. There is still no timeline for when the full 7.2 kilometres of the Rideau Canal Skateway will open.
