The National Capital Commission is considering a feasibility study that would use refrigeration pipes to freeze a 900-metre stretch of the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa.
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The National Capital Commission says it is considering a feasibility study on using artificial cooling to help keep the Rideau Canal Skateway frozen.
The proposal under consideration would involve refrigeration pipes embedded in concrete to support freezing along a 900-metre stretch of the canal in Ottawa’s downtown.
The NCC said the system would cover just over 10 per cent of the Skateway, with the rest still relying on cold conditions and nature.
Tobi Nussbaum, the NCC’s chief operating executive officer, said the study recommends the refrigeration pipes embedded in concrete, describing a system similar to those used to freeze many outdoor rinks.
Bruce Devine, the NCC’s senior manager of facilities and programs, said if the project proceeds it would be costly, “It will be in the millions,” and the NCC would look for funding through federal programs while researching other sources.
Devine said the number of days the canal is open could triple if the plan goes ahead, but he said it would not happen until after 2030.
He said the project would place an emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint, including by identifying opportunities to recover and reuse heat, and said the project would be aiming for carbon neutrality if the system is feasible.
The NCC said the Skateway first opened in 1971 after the commission cleared a small portion of ice on the canal for skating, and it has since expanded to become a 7.8-kilometre skating rink.
The NCC said the Skateway draws about 19,000 visitors daily during the winter months and is part of the Winterlude festival, which hosts an average of 500,000 visitors over about 2.5 weeks every February.
The NCC said the Skateway did not open at all in 2023 and opened for just 10 days in 2024 due to warmer-than-usual conditions.
The NCC said Devine believes a plan to ensure at least some of the Skateway can open each year would support tourism at the UNESCO World Heritage site by allowing visitors to plan around the days the rink is available.
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