A sign of good times is when the National Capital Commission announces that the Rideau Canal is officially opened. Granted they are only opening a 2.2 km stretch (1.36 miles for you Yanks) but it is great news because with -20'C weather outside right now, it won't be long until the entire length is groomed and ready to go. This year I HAVE to take my girls for a skate - they've been yearning to go for a couple of years now.

Plus there is nothing like going for a skate and then enjoying the sweet (SWEET) taste of a Beaver Tail.

Kevin

It's on my hockey bucket list for sure.

I went to Ottawa a few years ago! Awesome city! It was in the fall...All I thought about everyday looking out my hotel window at the canal was how awesome it must be skating that in the winter. So jealous...I may have to make another trek up when the bruins are in town and go for a skate and a game with a quick overnight.

how late in the winter/spring is it usually open?? my wife would love to skate that but she's a wimp when the temp gets down to the teens/single digits (on the Yankee scale...)

You're looking at late February at best - early March if we get the right weather.

Matt,

I found this on the :

When does the skating season start and finish?
The length of the season depends on the weather, but typically the Rideau Canal Skateway opens in January and closes in March.

2011-2012 Season: January 13 to February 21, 2012
2010-2011 Season: January 8 to March 5, 2011
2009–2010 Season: January 14 to February 26, 2010
2008–2009 Season: January 1 to March 5, 2009
2007–2008 Season: January 25 to March 5, 2008
2006–2007 Season: January 26 to March 12, 2007
2005–2006 Season: January 7 to March 10, 2006

Hope that helps
Kevin

Perfect. Now I know which week to take off in 2025 (when my twins are about 14).

So after many years of promising to take the kids (and after several weeks of pining from my eldest), we finally packed up the family and headed into Ottawa to partake in the Winterlude festivities and skate on the Rideau Canal this past Monday (Family Day holiday here in Ontario). It was a spectacular day and the ice was probably in the great shape, although according to my youngest daughter the ice was 'not nearly as good as our rink'. The Canal was packed with people enjoying the day. And we topped it off with BeaverTails for everyone - nom nom nom.

My one complaint are the idiots who are walking in the middle of the skateway - come on people, there are walking paths to the side of the groomed ice, be courteous and get out of the way of people who are moving much faster than you. Although these are probably the same twits who drive slower than everyone else and refuse to get out of the fast last. :-)

All in all, it was a beauty of a day and I highly recommend it (especially if it's on your backyard rink bucket list)

Awesome. I should have asked you to document it for the blog...I suppose one day I'll just have to do it myself :)

I always wondered how the ice quality was...knowing that typical pond ice isn't great if left to nature's devices, but I wasn't sure if they resurfaced or flooded at night. Can you actually glide on it, or is it so chewed up that you're constantly stumbling?

They sweep and flood it in sections when it is cold enough. You have to watch out for drill holes for thickness testing and there were a lot of expansion cracks which tend to chip apart with all skaters. At one point, my 2nd daughter hit one and wiped out - she immediately turned to her older sister and blamed her for tripping her - Oh siblings are so fun!!

Considering how many people use it on the weekends the ice was in great shape and yes you can actually glide on it. In the busier areas where people are entering the canal, there was a lot of built up snow and we commented that they needed to hire a couple of strong teenagers who would just scrape sections with shovels for a couple of hours. You just have to keep your head up because there are a lot of skaters (and walkers) plus you have to watch for the cracks as well. It definitely teaches you ice awareness.

I know if I lived in the city and worked in the city, I would find a way to use the canal as a mode of transportation in the winter time.