No Rideau Canal skating season in sight as mild weather continues

The chalets may be in placeon theRideau Canalbut with temperatures expected to soar to 15 C on Christmas Eve, a swim is far more likely than a skate any time soon.

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The skateway typically opens in mid-Januarybut has opened as late as Feb.2in 2002.

In the past decade, the latest start to the skating season was Jan.26, in 2007.

The ice must be30 centimetres thick before the National Capital Commission opens the skateway.It's currently a pool of water with no ice whatsoever.

National Capital Commission spokesperson Jasmine Leduc said it's "too early to speculate" when the Rideau Canal will open for skating.

"The NCC has lived some similar situations," she said. "It's not abnormal. As you know, Canadian winters tend to fluctuate and we're facing that at this moment."

'Winter will show its face'

The annualWinterludefestival, which centres around theRideau Canal Skateway, along with nearby Confederation Park andJacques-CartierPark inGatineau, is set to kick off on Jan. 29.

Jantine Van Kregten, the director of communications forOttawa Tourism, said there's more than a month for the cold weather to kick in for the festival.

"I amconfident that winter will show its face in Ottawa. I never bet against winter in Ottawa. It's always going to come," she said.

Waiting for the deep freeze means theBeaverTailsstands that usually pop up along the canal are on hold, leaving just three stands in the city: in the ByWard Market, at City Hall and at the Tanger Outlets.

"How do we feel about this weather? Probably a lot like Ms. Colombia felt last night," BeaverTailsfounderGrant Hooker said, adding that "Mother Nature can turn on a dime."

The host ofMiss Universecrowned the contestant from Colombiabefore realizing she was actually thefirst runner-up and that the contestant fromthe Philippines had won.