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The canal will be open for skating between the National Arts Centre and Bank Street. (Submitted by Benoit Aubry)A 4.3-kilometre stretch of the Rideau Canal will be open for skating Thursday morning, the National Capital Commission announced Wednesday.
The ice between the National Arts Centre and Bank Street will open at 8 a.m. to begin the 40th season of skating on the canal.
An official opening ceremony will be held near the Canal Ritz Terrace at 10 a.m.
Maintenance crews started clearing snow and flooding the ice surface on a 4.3-kilometre stretch between the National Arts Centre and the Bank Street Bridge last Friday and Saturday nights as temperatures dipped to below - 10 C.
The ice must be at least 30 centimetres thick before it's safe to open the canal, the NCC said.
Last year, almost all of the 7.8-kilometre skateway was open by Jan. 9.
There is freezing drizzle in Environment Canada's forcast for Wednesday night and Thursday. However, the temperature is expected to drop to - 10 C overnight, and rise to - 1 C on Thursday.
Throughout the skating season, recorded information about skating conditions is available by phone at 613-239-5234 (24 hour recording). TTY (text telephone for the hearing impaired) is available at: 613-239-5090 or toll-free 1 866 661-3530.
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