Top 10 Family Activities in Ontario: Rideau Canal Amongst the Top
National Geographic
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A Trip to the Cottage
Ontario is a big, diverse place and its residents, spread across more than a million square kilometers, don’t lay claim to all that many shared experiences. But if there’s one Ontario tradition that’s nearly universal, it’s the family trip to the cottage.
Cottage time is all about campfires, canoe rides, and rainy-day board games. Visitors can get in on the action too; rental cottages are widely available. Popular “cottage country” areas include the Kawarthas and Muskoka, both within a couple hours’ drive of Toronto, and the Rideau Lakes, near Ottawa.
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Toronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is the largest in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. Its 460-plus animal species are organized by their region of origin. In addition to the main exhibits, the zoo also offers a special children’s zone with demonstrations, a splash park, and interactive activities for kids.
In recent years the Toronto Zoo has substantially expanded its conservation and education efforts, upgrading animal habitats and funding research projects worldwide. Ask about the zoo’s family-focused educational programs.
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Rideau Canal (Ottawa)
Ottawa’s Rideau Canal is a national historic site and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built after the War of 1812 as the key link in a chain of locks, rivers, and lakes that provided an alternate route between Montreal and Kingston, in case of an American invasion of the St. Lawrence River. Today it’s an urban waterway lined with trees and bike paths—perfect for renting a canoe, pedal boat, or bicycle and cruising through downtown. In winter, it’s transformed into the world’s longest skating rink.
Read more on the National Geographic website: Top 10 Family Activities in Ontario
Rideau Canal Skateway likely to open mid-January
Dan Neutel, The Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA — With the expected return of cold weather Tuesday, the National Capital Commission is predicting the Rideau Canal will be open for skating by mid-month.
“We’re still on target,” said Jasmine Leduc of NCC media relations. “On average the Rideau Canal Skateway opens in the first half of January, weather permitting.”
This will be the 42nd skating season on the canal.
“Last year the skating season opened on Jan. 8, and it closed on March 6,” says Leduc. “Visitors enjoyed 53 days of skating through a 58 day skating season. And it included a beautiful stretch of 40 consecutive days with near ideal skating conditions.
“On average over the past five years, the Rideau Canal Skateway offered 45 skating days during a season that lasted on average 50 days,” says Leduc.
The key to good ice is cold weather with no snow. Snow acts as a thermal blanket preventing the ice from thickening.
“We’re hoping that the mild weather this past weekend had very little impact on the ice,” said Leduc. “We’re hoping that the cold weather will return shortly and that we’ll be able to resume our flooding operations.”
Cue the gondolas for summer fun next year
NCC puts out calls for ideas to ‘animate’ Rideau Canal
Chloé Fedio, Ottawa Citizen
Imagine gondola rides on the Rideau Canal and fire-juggling acrobats in the surrounding green space.
These ideas could become a reality, after the National Capital Commission put out an open call for pilot projects to “animate” the canal as early as June 2012.
The request for submissions is intentionally vague, said Marie Lemay, chief executive officer of the NCC.
“We thought it would be interesting to let the creative minds in the capital region really tell us what type of project would be great to animate,” Lemay said. “We’re testing a different approach on this. Why don’t we let the market tell us where the activities should take place and what kind of activities should take place.”
Proposals must include details on the concept, a financial model and can have a timeline of up to three years. The NCC will not fund projects but will offer use of the canal and its shoreline, from Rideau Street all the way to, but not including, Dow’s Lake.
NCC Launches Request for Expression of Interest for Programming along the Rideau Canal
NCC seeks pilot projects that will enhance the “Capital Experience” on these urban spaces
Canada’s Capital Region ─ The National Capital Commission (NCC) is seeking innovative projects that will animate the shorelines of the Rideau Canal and enhance the “Capital Experience”.
These projects would be implemented as of the summer 2012 by the person or organization that proposes, as a pilot project, to develop or animate the Rideau Canal shorelines. Each selected project will be assessed after the duration of the pilot, which is for a maximum of three years, in order to decide on its future.
“We are hoping that the breadth of this request for expression of interest will result in proposals of creative uses of the Capital’s underutilized urban spaces,” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC. “These spaces represent an enormous opportunity to contribute to the vibrancy of our region.”
Projects will be evaluated by the NCC in light of their overall contribution to the goals of this request for expression of interest and their feasibility.
The request for expression of interest can be found at www.canadascapital.ca . For more information, the public may contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 1-800-465-1867, 613-239-5090 (TTY) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY).
Ottawa Tourism launches Bonus Booking Offers
Third night free offer coming soon!
[Source: Ottawa Tourism press release]
OTTAWA, November 22, 2011—Ottawa Tourism has just launched Bonus Booking Offers, a program that gives visitors customized offers based on total hotel value at participating hotels. For example, a stay valued at $200 might offer free breakfast while a stay valued at $300 might offer free parking. Bonus offers are managed by individual hotels on the www.OttawaTourism.ca website’s booking engine and are available for new reservations at participating hotels.
Another enticing offer is just a couple weeks away from being launched: as of November 30, visitors to Ottawa can indulge in a Third Night Free at participating hotels for bookings and travel between November 30, 2011 and March 31, 2012.
Both options make it extra-easy to plan an Ottawa getaway to enjoy holiday cheer, skate on the Rideau Canal, attend the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game festivities or indulge in Winterlude activities.
“We strive to keep our offers fresh and enticing,” says Noel Buckley, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “By working closely with our hotel and attraction partners the new Bonus Booking Offers allow hotels to provide value-added options to consumers who, as a result, may end up staying longer for less and enjoying more, especially when combined with the Third Night Free promotion.”
Ottawa Tourism provides industry leadership and destination marketing to service the travel media and attract visitors, tours and conventions to Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region. Visit Ottawa Tourism at www.ottawatourism.ca
World Heritage Day: Rideau Canal Festival Recognizes Jo MacFadden and Parks Canada
It was with great honour that today the Rideau Canal Festival awarded to Ms. Jo MacFadden, film and television producer, the Annual World Heritage Rideau Canal Festival Award, during an event which saw the raising of the UNESCO flag, in celebration of World Heritage Day at City Hall.
Every year the Festival recognizes an organization or an individual that has contributed to the preservation and promotion of the Rideau Canal in a remarkable way. In fact, this year the Rideau Canal Festival also chose to honour Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada on their 100th Anniversary and for their exemplary dedication to preserving the Canal for generations to come.
Clearly, Ontario benefits from the fact that the Rideau Canal is one of Canada’s 15 world heritage sites, the only one in the province. It was officially designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2007 and with their collaboration, a symbolic award of a sculpted wooden metre, defending the Festival’s green mission of “Aim for Zero” is given to the chosen recipient. See http://www.rideaucanalfestival.ca/adopt.html. This year marks the 4th anniversary of the Rideau Canal World Heritage Award ceremony.
“We are once again pleased to present the Rideau Canal World Heritage Award. Several individuals and organizations are dedicated to the preservation and general promotion of the Canal as we cherish its place within our city and recognize the impact it has for citizens and visitors along with the economic impact it has on the business community. It is therefore, befitting that we recognize and thank those individuals and organizations, today “, indicated Blair Patacairk, Chair of the Rideau Canal Festival.
Joining Mr. Patacairk, were Mayor Jim Watson, David A. Walden, Secretary-General, Arts Council of Canada, Canadian Commission for UNESCO, and Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada.
For more information, please contact:
Suzanne Valiquet
613-222-7839
End of the 41st skating season on the World’s Largest Skating Rink
Canada’s Capital Region —The National Capital Commission (NCC) regrets to advise the public that the Rideau Canal Skateway is officially closed for the season.
The heavy snowfall of the last few hours and the high temperature, following a yesterday’s day long downpour create risks to the integrity of the ice. Moreover, the weather forecasts for the next week make it unrealistic to expect to rebuild lost ice thickness. The 41st skating season on the Rideau Canal Skateway cannot resume.
The 41st skating season on the world’s largest skating rink started on Saturday, January 8 and lasted 58 days. During that period, hundreds of thousands of people enjoyed 53 days of skating, including a beautiful stretch of 40 consecutive days with near ideal skating conditions on most of the Skateway – a stretch that almost overlapped all of the Winterlude season.
This season will be remembered for the sustained periods of great ice surface conditions. It has also been a longer season than the average (51 days) of the past five years. The last season was much shorter: 2010 only delivered a 44 days season with 36 days of skating.
UNSAFE ICE CONDITIONS — The ice surface of the Skateway can be unpredictable and many hazards cannot be seen by untrained eyes. The NCC urges skaters and pedestrians and the general public to keep personal safety in mind and remain off the Skateway as it is now closed. Respect the red flags, the barricades and the signs installed at access points. NCC staff and contractors will work over the next few days, on the remaining ice surface, to dismantle the equipment and infrastructure necessary for the operations of the Skateway.
Managed by the NCC since the 1970-1971 season, the 7.8-kilometre Rideau Canal Skateway holds the Guinness World Records™ for the “World’s Largest Naturally Frozen Ice Rink”. The world-famous ice surface is equal to more than 90 Olympic sized rinks or 165 621 m2, and is one of the official sites for Canada’s winter celebration, Winterlude.
The NCC would like to thank its official partner American Express® and its official sponsors Sun Life Financial and West Jet for their contribution to this year’s 41st season of skating on the Rideau Canal Skateway. The NCC also thanks for their support with the Rideau Canal Skateway: State Farm, Subway, Pizza Pizza, Pepsi, NRJ, Rock Détente, Majic 100 and Bob FM.
For more information about the Rideau Canal Skateway, please contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 613-239-5090 (TTY), 1-800-465-1867 (toll-free) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the NCC’s website at
www.canadascapital.gc.ca/skateway
NCC chief proclaims Winterlude a success despite thaw
Tony Lofaro, Ottawa Citizen
Photograph by: Jean Levac, The Ottawa Citizen
Winterlude enjoyed a successful run despite the closing of the Rideau Canal for a few days and a top Canadian chef’s pulling out of one of its high-profile events, the NCC’s chief executive officer said Monday.
She said the NCC is moving toward partnerships with more government department and private sponsors to help with programming costs for Winterlude. On board this year were the Museum of Science and Technology, Natural Resources Canada, Parks Canada, National Research Council and the Canadian Space Agency, she said.
“The shift to the new delivery model of Winterlude has started and we’re excited about the results of these partnerships. We hope to add more public and private partners next year,” said Lemay.
In an interview after the press conference, Lemay said that, based on past years, attendance at the 2011 Winterlude was expected to top 600,000 visitors. Final figures were not yet available, she added.
Read the full story on the Ottawa Citizen website: NCC chief proclaims Winterlude a success despite thaw
Residents, visitors enjoy last days of Winterlude
By Bruce Deachman, The Ottawa Citizen
Photo Courtesy of the Ottawa Citizen
After a premature and, many might say, all-too-brief dalliance with springtime, Ottawa got back to the cold, hard business at hand — winter — Sunday, as thousands of people donned balaclavas, long johns and extra socks and ventured outside to take part in Winterlude before it closes for yet another year on Monday. An obliging Mother Nature pushed the mercury down from Friday’s high of 11 to a more bracing -15 (take away nine more to feed the windchill), allowing the NCC to reopen Jacques-Cartier Park and a large stretch of the Rideau Canal Skateway for the second-to-final day of the popular festival.
At Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, the numerous perennial ice slides remained the chief attraction, although there was no shortage of goings-on to keep even the most hyperactive occupied. As tots built small, precarious houses from brightly coloured blocks of snow and ice, older kids roasted marshmallows over a wood fire or climbed, and ultimately fell off, various play structures. One youngster, eager for a hug from something large, warm and furry, twice approached one of the Winterlude mascots — they’re called Ice Hogs, but closer resemble bloated chipmunks — but each time turned away screaming for her mother. Others tried their hands — or feet, rather — at snowshoeing, while still more, such as nine-year-old Nicholas Cox, on his fourth visit to a Winterlude venue, attempted to scale a rock wall.
Full story on the Ottawa Citizen website: Residents, visitors enjoy last days of Winterlude
Stay Warm During Winterlude!
The Bytown Museum is pleased to offer a FREE hot beverage (coffee, tea, hot chocolate or hot apple cider) with every paid admission during Winterlude.
During Winterlude, the Bytown Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Located mere steps from the Rideau Canal Skateway, the Museum is easily accessible by staircase off Wellington Street or via the pedestrian ramp near the National Art Centre (NAC).
“Enjoy one of the most picturesque sites in the city and stay warm with a complimentary hot beverage,” said Mike Steinhauer, Director of the Bytown Museum. A free hot beverage is served with every paid admission.
Travel through time and explore the stories that shaped Bytown and early Ottawa. From the arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel John By and the construction of the Rideau Canal to the naming of Ottawa as the nation’s capital, the permanent exhibits will introduce you to the people and the objects that helped build our great city.
Six-Language Audio-Tour included with admission: English, French, Spanish, German, Mandarin and Japanese.
