The Rideau Canal

By far, one of my favourite things about Ottawa is the Rideau Canal. It has earned several designations: National Historic Site of Canada (1925), Canadian Heritage River (2000), Guiness Book of World Records holder (2005) and UNESCO World Heritage Site (2007).

The 202-kilometre waterway, which connects the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario, was built from 1826 to 1832 for military needs. Today, area residents and tourists from across the country and around the world have varied uses for the canal system.

photo source: canadascapital.gc.ca on Flickr



At this time of year, a 7.8-kilometre stretch of the Rideau Canal serves as the world’s largest*, naturally frozen, outdoor skating rink. According to the National Capital Commission, the skateway equals 90 Olympic-sized rinks (165,621 square metres).

This amazing outdoor rink is a major draw for the National Capital Region’s Winterlude Festival (Bal de neige). Avid skaters who brave the cold weather can use the Rideau Canal skateway for entertainment, fitness and a seasonal way to commute into urban Ottawa.

Notwithstanding the tantalizing smell of BeaverTails wafting along the skateway, I’m not a huge fan of winters on the Rideau Canal. I can see why others enjoy themselves, but the frigid temperatures and my lack of skating coordination just don’t add up to a fun time for me.

By contrast, in warmer weather I’ve thoroughly enjoyed in-line skating and walking alongside the waterway. I’ve dined at restaurant patios overlooking the Rideau Canal, watched hot-air balloons soar overhead, and discovered delightful, small communities nestled along the waterway.

I treasure memories of boating down and up sections of the Rideau Canal with loved ones in Sol Mate, the Phoenix and Misskoka. These were shorter excursions than our Trent-Severn Canal adventures, but still it was great to sleep onboard boat at the locks, watch sunsets and sunrises together, hang out with duck families and heron colonies, picnic on the shores, wait out storms, watch dragonflies and fireflies, and countless other fun activities with family and friends.

In warmer weather, kayakers, canoeists and recreational boaters can experience the Rideau Canal’s lock system, which consists of 45 locks plus two extras at the entrance to the Tay River. If you’ve never travelled from one lock to another, it’s a fascinating way to explore 1091 kilometres of shoreline and upwards of 292 islands. The Friends of the Rideau site report that every time each lock is used it moves an average of 1.3 million litres of water.  

All in all, I think most of you would agree that the Rideau Canal is

      AWESOME!

If you have a particular reason for liking the Rideau Canal, then I encourage you to share it with us in the Comments section below. Or, if you have yet to see the Rideau Canal and you're interested in learning more about its history, then I invite you to visit the following site: http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Bytown/index_e.html

There's even a National Research Council connection to the skateway. Dr. Nirmal Sinha, an ice and aerospace research colleague who I've had the pleasure of getting know during the past 10 years, volunteers annually to help the National Capital Commission ensure a safe ice experience for all.

* Using frozen portions of the Assiniboine and Red rivers, Manitobans received official recognition for their 8.54-km River Trail skateway, which usurped the title of world's longest skating rink in 2008-09. The combined width and length of the Rideau Canal means that the largest, but not longest outdoor skating rink record still sits in Ottawa.