Too much, too little: NCC says ski trails are too icy, but Canal not icy enough

Published Jan 06, 2024 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 3 minute read

Last year was the first time in 53 years the Rideau Canal Skateway did not open. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

The National Capital Commission is struggling with inconsistent ice conditions across the region this weekend. There’s not enough ice for skating on the Rideau Canal, but too much for skiing in Gatineau Park.

In Ottawa’s core, NCC workers have been experimenting with different strategies to try to build up ice on the Canal in hopes of creating a season of skating during an unseasonably mild winter. But in the hills north of the Ottawa River, the amount of ice on cross-country ski trails in Gatineau Park has forced the closure of the entire network for safety reasons.

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“The cross-country ski trail network is temporarily closed due to very icy conditions,” the NCC said Friday on X, formerly Twitter. “Maintenance work will resume with the next accumulation of snow.

“Snow dances encouraged,” the NCC added.

There might soon be good news for the cross-country ski crowd, though.

Environment Canada on Saturday issued a winter weather travel advisory due to an overnight snowstorm that looked to be headed for Eastern Ontario.

The agency forecast said about 10 centimetres of snow was headed for Ottawa, as well as the Cornwall and Kemptville areas. Up to 15 centimetres of snow was possible in some regions, it added.

Officially, the NCC remains optimistic about the possibility of a skating season even after the frustration of last year. The 2022-23 season marked the first time in the 53-year history of skating on the Canal that the ice failed to achieve the necessary thickness.

“Preparations for the 54th season of the Rideau Canal Skateway are currently underway, with the help of our contractors and partners, and we look forward to the upcoming season,” NCC spokesperson Sofia Benjelloun wrote in an email.

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She noted that “various approaches” were being tested in partnership with the civil engineering department from Carleton University.

The four-year partnership, which started during the 2021-22 season, is designed to “identify strategies to adapt our operations to the impacts of climate change,” Benjelloun wrote. “Over a four-year period, data will be collected, and a variety of pilot projects will be explored. The aim is to test potential approaches, such as early ice flooding, that could help build ice faster and ensure an earlier start to the season. We will analyze the data and the results of our pilot projects and remain committed to applying what we learn going forward.”

Skaters can take advantage of good ice conditions on the city’s four free, outdoor, refrigerated ice surfaces: the Rink of Dreams at Ottawa City Hall, the Centrepointe rink at Ben Franklin Place, the Lansdowne Park skating court and the covered Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink at the Canterbury Recreation Complex, 2185 Arch St.

Also slated to open for free skating on Jan. 13 is the outdoor rink at Rideau Hall. Reservations will no longer be required, and hours are extended. Go online to https://www.gg.ca/en/visit-us/rideau-hall/what-see-and-do/rideau-hall-skating-rink for details.

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Venturing on rivers, lakes and ponds in the region is not advised. Unlike the City of Halifax, which measures ice thickness on 70 bodies of water in its region, the City of Ottawa does not gauge ice safety. Instead, “The city asks that residents avoid going onto any frozen lakes or rivers as they are not maintained, and ice safety cannot be guaranteed,” said Tracey McGarry, director of complexes, aquatics and specialty services.