Writing.- The Rideau canal of Ottawa, the track of ice skating The largest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will not open this year for the first time in its history. The decision is due to a too mild winter.
“Despite all our efforts, the weather beat us for the first time in our history,” their authorities said on Twitter.
“We are not in a position to open the track for the season,” they added in a statement.
So that this channel that crosses the heart of the canadian capital passable, thermometers should remain between -10 and -20 degrees Celsius for about two weeks.
Accessible
Although in its beginnings in the 1970s it used to be accessible from the end of December, now it opens more frequently in the middle or even the end of January. In 2020, for example, you had to wait until January 28 to skate there.
However, the cooler temperatures registered in Ottawa during the last 24 hours were not enough to reverse the trend.
In mid-February, tourists and Ottawa residents – who sometimes skate to work – expressed disappointment to AFP.
“I wish I could skate on it, but the best thing I can do right now is look at it,” said Lani Simmons, 46, of Bermuda.
Also read: Extreme polar cold wave freezes Canada with temperatures of -30
warmer winter
With unusually high temperatures in December and January, at times just below freezing, Ottawa is expected to record its third winter warmer this year, according to authorities.
Site managers have been studying the effects of climate change on the canal for several years and say they are “preparing,” in particular by trying to better understand ice formation.
The Rideau Canal stretches along 7.8 kilometers of the Canadian capital, and runs through its main monuments, such as the Parliament, the Senate and the University, among others. It attracts about 22,000 visitors on average per day.
