Winterlude: Cluster in the Downtown Core

The opening of the Rideau Canal is always a sure sign of winter. Ottawans and tourists alike strap on their skates and hit the ice. The Canal is already open and full of skaters, but it will see most of its action in the coming weeks during Winterlude, which runs from January 30 until February 16, 2015.Winterlude is always an exciting time in Ottawa. There are a wide array of outdoor activities from skating on the world’s longest skating rink and viewing the ice sculptures, to sliding at Jacques Cartier Park, and lastly pigging out at all the tasty food vendors. Winterlude also means congestion, people, and noise, for those residents living near the Canal.The Queen Elizabeth Parkway, which runs along the Canal between the Golden Triangle and the Glebe towards Dow’s Lake, will be closed on weekends during Winterlude. The neighbourhoods lining the canal will quickly fill with cars, jammed one behind the other, up on snowbanks, everyone desperate for a parking spot. Living near the canal during these three weeks means you’ve lost all your street parking and your driveway may end up blocked. Forget trying to get in a nice relaxing afternoon skate. The canal will be filled with families drinking hot chocolate, kids falling on the ice, and faces full of beaver tails. Sure, who doesn’t love a good beaver tail?Of course Winterlude is a great tourist attraction for the city – so Ottawans, just grin and bear it, or better yet, get outside and make the most of it! You’ll have your water oasis back soon enough. In the cold days of late February, when no one dare peek their heads out of their apartments, you’ll find you’ll have almost the entire 8km skate way all to yourself.Photo by: Zhu