Lace up — quickly: Temperatures rising after 36,000 skaters enjoy Skateway opening day

Environment Canada is forecasting the temperature to rise to zero on Wednesday, then move above freezing to 1 C on Thursday and 5 C on Friday with rain.

Published Jan 22, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 2 minute read

Skaters didn’t let the red flags and closed gates stope them from getting out for a skate on the Rideau Canal Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA

Did you skate on the Rideau Canal Sunday?

You were not alone! The National Capital Commission says 36,000 people took to the ice on opening day for the Rideau Canal Skateway after the washout that was the 2023 skating season.

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But opening day was not without its glitches. After announcing Saturday that a two-kilometre stretch between Bank Street and Pretoria Bridge would open at 9 a.m. Sunday, on Sunday morning the NCC changed the start time to 12:30 p.m. and shortened the open section by a couple of hundred metres near Pretoria.

Not that it stopped early birds from climbing over barriers and ignoring the red flags.

In an email Monday, the NCC explained the reason for the delay.

“With a briefer than expected freezing window overnight from Saturday to Sunday, our contractors had double the person power and equipment on the Skateway to make as much progress as possible. This meant we needed to allow more time for the ice to freeze after flooding. We communicated this development through a media advisory and social media,” it said.

“We thank everyone for their patience and collaboration, and we understand that people are excited and want to get out on the Skateway. We did have to turn a few people away on Sunday morning when numbers became a bit too much, to help our crews get everything done before 12:30.”

The NCC urged skaters to follow its website for updates on what sections are open and “to help the canal crews keep the ice in good shape.”

Ice conditions on Monday were described as “variable.”

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If you haven’t laced up the skates yet, you might want to do so in the next couple of days. Environment Canada is forecasting the temperature to rise to zero on Wednesday, then move above freezing to 1 C on Thursday, 5 C on Friday, with rain, and 1 C on Saturday before heading back down to -4 C on Sunday.

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