Carleton University students can officially access the Rideau Canal Skateway right across the street from campus.
The Rideau Canal Skateway fully opened on Jan. 18 after partially opening on Jan. 11. The Library Road entrance opened on Jan. 14.
Its opening follows years of unstable skating conditions after only being open for a collective 10 days last winter. During the 2022-23 winter, the canal failed to open at all.
McKayla Wolfer, a fourth-year global politics student at Carleton, went skating on the opening day.
“The ice was perfect,” she said. “It was a ton of fun. I got to go with my roommate who [had] never skated on it, so it was really exciting.”
Wolfer said she wasn’t able to skate on the canal in previous years, so she was happy to bring her friends out for the first time.
“It’s for enjoyment, to hang out with friends and to see Ottawa, rather than just walking through it,” she said. “There was also a ton of people which was really nice, so it was a really good community type of vibe.”
Millet Angelique, an exchange student at Carleton, shared Wolfer’s excitement of getting to skate on the world’s largest outdoor skating rink.
“It was really fun, the weather was nice and it was the first time I ever skated,” she said.
“The BeaverTails are really cool,” Livermore said.
Carter said his favourite feature of the canal is its uninterrupted length, which allows skaters to travel up to 7.8 kilometres in one direction.
“I really like skating, and I like skating straight for a long time,” he said.
Some students were excited by the variety of food options available along the canal, including BeaverTails.
“I didn’t expect to see that on the ice,” said Nicole Zibung, a master’s student in political science.
As an exchange student from Switzerland, Zibung said she and her friends weren’t sure if they’d get to experience skating on the canal in their first visit to Ottawa. Zibung’s friends were excited to find out the good news, and they bought skates while in Ottawa to experience skating on the canal.
“It was really cool because today almost the full canal is open,” Zibung said after skating just days before the canal’s full length opened.
While many Carleton students are optimistic about the canal staying open for a long stretch, while others are racing to take advantage while it remains operational.
“I try not to be too optimistic,” Wolfer said. “Especially with the track record of Ottawa suddenly warming up and then [the canal] closing.”
“I’m hopeful,” Zibung added.
Featured image by Mya Pasparakis.
