Rideau Canal’s ‘last lap’ before skateway closes for the season
Posted Mar 4, 2026 01:42:38 PM.
Last Updated Mar 4, 2026 01:42:43 PM.
After over two months of being able to skate on Canada’s largest rink, the National Capital Commission (NCC) said the Rideau Canal will be closing on Wednesday evening.
It comes as temperatures are beginning to rise this week, after a cold, snowy winter in Ottawa.
The skateway will close March 4, at 10:00 p.m.
“After an amazing 56 days on the ice and more than one million visits, the time has come to say goodbye,” the NCC said. “The Skateway’s last lap is waiting for you!”
Temperatures in Ottawa on Wednesday are mild, above 0 C and will continue upward into the weekend, the Environment Canada forecast shows.
Rain showers are expected in the city on Saturday, with a high of 13 C. It means spring is around the corner, but also that Ottawans have to say “see ya later” to their favourite winter activity.
The NCC credits it’s maintenance crews and contractors with the reason the skateway was so successful this year. It opened on Dec. 31, the first December opening in more than seven years, and it allowed over one million visits during it’s 56th season.
“Through overnight shifts and harsh weather, they kept the ice pristine, ensuring skaters enjoyed some of the best conditions this season,” the post by the NCC reads.
But it’s not a goodbye forever, just a pivot, as the organization is already looking ahead to summer.
