Warm winter closes Rideau Canal to Canadian skaters in historic first

The temperature in Ottawa has hovered around a mild -5.2C (22.6F) this January, keeping the iconic Rideau Canal closed for the season

The world's longest skating rink in Canada's capital city of Ottawa will not open this season for the first time in its history.

Ottawa's iconic Rideau Canal has doubled as a 7.8km-long (4.8 miles) outdoor skateway in the winter months for the last 52 years.

But an unusually mild winter this year has melted hopes of fun on the ice.

On Friday, officials said it will not be possible to open the canal to skaters.

"Despite all the efforts by our teams, and even with the colder temperatures of the last 24 hours, the latest ice tests show that the Rideau Canal Skateway remains unsafe for skating," said Canada's National Capital Commission in a statement.

"With further efforts unlikely to yield a different result, we are unable to open the Skateway for this season. We share everyone's disappointment with this outcome."

The Commission added that it has been assessing and preparing for the impacts of climate change on the Rideau Canal.

"This year taught us a great deal about the effects of milder winters on the Skateway," it said.

Carleton University professor Shawn Kenny adjusts a weather station set up on the Rideau Canal earlier this month

The temperature in Ottawa has hovered around -5.2C (22.6F) this January. The canal requires 10 to 14 consecutive days of temperatures between -10C and -20C before it is safe.

This winter is Ottawa's third warmest on record dating back to 1872, officials with Environment Canada told the Ottawa Citizen.

The Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was first opened for ice skating in winter 1970-1971. On average, cold weather in Ottawa allowed for 50 days of skating.

But the opening date of the canal has shifted later and later over the years.

Before the 1995-96 winter season, the canal would typically open at the end of December. Over the last 26 years, however, the canal has typically opened on 10 January.

For a city that embraces the cold, this year's mild winter has meant the cancellation of annual events like the sold-out Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival, which invites international teams to race on a portion of the frozen Rideau Canal.

Recent cold winters, however, have also been notable for the canal. Opening day in 2022 marked the first time in over 20 years that the full 7.8km of the was safely accessible on skates.

In its statement, the Commission said it is hopeful that it will be reopen for skaters next season.

"The Rideau Canal Skateway is an iconic and beloved attraction that we proudly maintain and operate," it said. "We already look forward to welcoming visitors to the world's largest skating rink next winter."