Canal Opening!
Tomorrow’s the big day. The section between Bank Street Bridge and Fifth Ave will be open. Great news with Winterlude coming up in less than a week.
If you’re looking for ice conditions throughout the season here’s the link.
I’m wondering if you plan on skating on the canal this year? If you like feel free to share funny stories/photo’s that have happened on the canal…hell even a comment about what you love most about Winterlude and it will score you some Chez Nation Points!
January 24th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
My husband and daughter usually skate the length of the canal. I am hoping they will rent a sled and push me this year. I love hot chocolate, ice sculptures and the snow sculptures and of course and good music events in town.
January 24th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I have an idea. Why don’t you have a draw to push someone down the canal in a sled with a nice warm blanket and a mug of hot chocolate while being serenaded by say…..John Mellencamp. I would bid some points on that.
January 24th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
The canal, beaver tails, hot chocolate, friends on a sunny day while strolling down the canal, what else could you ask for?
January 24th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
I like watching winterlude from the indoors thank you .
I’ll step outside when winter steps aside .
January 25th, 2008 at 7:12 am
I was “just seventeen … you know what I mean …” when I had a first date with a guy I sort of though of as a friend. He invited me to skate on the canal. Well, I’m not a good skater, but I thought, what the he!!. The night of the first date was snowing and blowing and cold, but he seemed to still want to go. I would have been happy to hit a bar for a nice warm drink, but we went. I was skating behind him much of the way, as he “gallantly” was blocking the wind for me. He practically pulled me most of the way back. We will be married 19 years this year!
January 25th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Why is it that the wind blows in either one of two directions - up or down the canal - when I have gone to skate. That the canal twists and bends in just about all directions seems to make no difference.
January 25th, 2008 at 11:13 am
What I enjoy most Jacques Cartier park, sliding with the kids on a cold winter evening with hot chocolat and Beavertails!
January 25th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I just love spending sunny afternoons skating & people watching…
January 25th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
The best part of the Canal/Winterlude is that it all eventually turns to slush and then the Harleys come out.
January 25th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
BEAVER TAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 25th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I prefer summerlude - yeah boating season is just around the corner …
January 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Kilaloe Sunrise Beavertails andHot Chocolate while looking at the Ice Sculptures.
Other than that, sorry but I’m keeping my a$$ inside where it’s warm.
January 25th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
absolutely nothing..i hate freezing my ass off! well maybe the beaver tails….
January 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
If I knew how to skate, liked freezing my ass off all while fighting crowds of people I might, but I don’t so I won’t. I may pop on by to grab a Beaver Tail, but that is the ONLY reason to be there.
January 26th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I was proud to tell my out-of-town friends and relatives about the longest skating rink in the world….Now along comes Winnipeg!!
January 28th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I like to mispronouce canal, just to annoy my friends who push to go there to freeze and eat beaver tails.
“Oh, you’re goin’ to the cANAL! No thanks…”
January 28th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Hey Robin … where’s the Nation points?
January 28th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I was just thinking the same thing LD.
GYP!
January 28th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I have no comment to make, I just want the points. I am not a winter kind of person, give me warm weather anyday.
January 29th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Many years ago I used to skate from the Chateau Laurier to Bronson, walk up to National Revenue, work all night and reverse it in the morning.
January 29th, 2008 at 4:10 am
I would love to see a hockey game played on the canal
January 29th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Hey there Robin
Since Doc & Woody always picking on Eric, you could get the Chez Nation members to promote DOC doing the polar bear dip at Winterlude. Maybe you could post a poll to find out what the Chez memebers think about that. HEHE
Oh yeah What I like about the canal: I love the beaver tails (should be a food groupe all on it’s own) yummmmy
Mike
January 29th, 2008 at 6:16 am
You mean people go skating on the canal for reasons other than the beaver tails and hot chocolate at the end??
January 29th, 2008 at 6:52 am
great way to kill a weekend afternoon with the kids, and much warmer than Winnipeg.
January 29th, 2008 at 11:16 am
thank you robin for coming through with the bonus code!
January 29th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
When I first took my kids there, they could barely stand. Now, they can outskate me end to end. The only thing I don’t like is having to watch out for all the cracks and ruts. Beavertails, hot chocolate, beautiful scenery and skyline, snow and ice sculptures, friends, family - winter life in Ottawa - cold but sweet! Don’t hibernate - embrace it!
January 30th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
There’s nothing better than burning off some calories with a brisk skate and then replacing them with a steaming beavertaila on a cold day. Not so cold you have to eat it with your mitts on though. I actually know people who have lived in Ottawa their whole lives and never skated on the canal! I go every chance I get.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I love to skate. The beaver tails are so good. It is so cold on the ice.
It attracts hundreds to come and skate.
I was forgotten on the skating rink and left behind with a student one year on a field trip. It was a long way home.
It is a fun winter sport but not for me.
February 13th, 2008 at 11:04 am
The canal is great fun for the whole family and a wonderful tourist attraction.