For the first time in its 53-year history, Ottawa’s Rideau Canal will be closed to skaters. This 7.8-kilometer route – the longest winter sports route in the world – covers a large part of the main attractions of the Canadian capital. However, the higher than usual temperatures are jeopardizing the safety of visitors as the ice is not the specified minimum thickness. The National Capital Commission made the decision this Friday as a result of the latest tests conducted on the surface.
The agency noted that the track remains unsafe for skating “despite the efforts of teams and even with the low temperatures of the past 24 hours.” The local press has been speculating about the opening date of this attraction for several weeks. However, administrators indicated this Friday that it will be closed throughout the season. “We share the general disappointment of this decision,” they commented, specifying that the aim is to ensure that it opens next winter. The Rideau Canal, whose work was completed in 1832, was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2007. The first skating sections opened in 1970. In the winter of 2019, the ice rink received almost 1.5 million visitors (the largest influx). recorded in a single season).
The commission stated that the ice on the rink must be at least 30 centimeters thick to support both the number of skaters and the maintenance machinery. Temperatures must remain between -10 and -20 degrees for 10 to 14 consecutive days for conditions to be conducive to ice thickness. The tests were conducted by a team composed of members of the commission and researchers from Carleton University. This winter has been the coldest in decades in the Canadian capital; the average temperature last January was -5.2 degrees.
On average, the track is open about 50 days per season. The shortest activity duration was registered in 2002: 29 days of access. A Commission report released in 2021 highlighted the impact of climate change on the Rideau Canal. According to the document, 50% of the time, the skating season could last less than 40 days. Likewise, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that the route will open its doors in the months of December.
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