The Rideau Canal at night. Literally thousands of people will skate on the Guiness Record Book's "Longest skating rink" over over 7 km. The Victory and Peace tower of Parlament can be seen sticking upin the distance to the left, while the castle-like hotel Chateau Laurier's turrets are in the background at right
Photo Credit: National Capital Commission

World’s longest skating rink now open

This year marks the 45th skating season on the section of the Rideau Canal that winds its way through the national capital, Ottawa.

The National Capital Commission which regulates activities activities on federal property in the capital, officially opened the entire canal on Thursday.

The opening of the canal for skating, is seen as the precursor to one of the best known of Canada’s many winter festivals, Winterlude, which takes place in February.

At 7.8 kilometers of ice, the Rideau Canal has been listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as the world’s longest naturally frozen skating rink. In winter, many residents who work downtown, will forego their cars and skate to work from other areas in the city.

For naysayer as to the Guiness Record, yes there are longer stretches of cleared ice, but they usually are narrow and pale in comparison to the Rideau’s surface area of well over 165,000 square meters of ice.

Ottawa meanwhile is also planning to revamp a section of its downtown area to become the Rideau Arts Precinct. Even as we are still entering winter, officials are now in the planning stages to liven up downtown with an expanded Art Gallery, wider sidewalks, new landscaping, bicycle paths, street furniture, light rail transit, and increased pedestrian mall.

A look back at skating on the Rideau in 1979

Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Environment & Animal Life, Society
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