{"id":134,"date":"2026-02-08T17:10:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T17:10:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/?page_id=134"},"modified":"2026-02-27T00:58:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T00:58:13","slug":"skating-around-ottawa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/skating-around-ottawa\/","title":{"rendered":"Skating Around Ottawa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Winter Pop-Ups<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Ottawa Below Zero<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Winter Fits<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Cozy Eats<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A Day with Camp Fortune’s Ski Patrol<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Articles Written by Ernest Ko<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Planning a Canal Day? Start With These Parking Spots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


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So you\u2019re in Ottawa for the weekend. Perhaps it\u2019s a family weekend getaway. Or maybe you\u2019ve got a day off during a business trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why not try skating on the canal? You\u2019ve been keeping them in the car since November; it\u2019s probably time to take them out for a spin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounds like a great idea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when you get there, where do you park? Sure, you could take transit and avoid the headache. But maybe your hotel\u2019s in Kanata, or you\u2019ve got three rowdy kids with you. Not to mention, Ottawa transit isn\u2019t the most popular topic around here. Sometimes, it\u2019s better to be behind the wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Capital Commission offers suggestions for parking near access points<\/a>, but those options are all paid, sometimes outrageously so (We\u2019re looking at you, Rideau Centre parking garages).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It makes one think, are there even any decent parking options? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, yes. And here are 3 to consider, spread across the canal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West (5-minute walk to Rideau access point)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, the easiest option can be found right beneath our noses. Or in this case, City Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With over 500 parking spots, spread over two underground floors, it\u2019s an optimal parking spot, says Erik Boyechko. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really cheap on the weekends,\u201d he said. From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, the max parking rate is only $2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being located in downtown Ottawa, Boyechko also appreciates the proximity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s neat. You\u2019re near the Rideau Centre, Parliament and every now and then there\u2019s something going on at (Confederation Park), so you can park here and not just go skating,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lansdowne Park area, multiple locations <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Further south, between the Fifth Avenue \/ Clegg Street and the Lansdowne \/ Avenue Road access points, is a myriad of street parking, within 10-15 minutes away from the canal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lansdowne Park has its own underground parking garage<\/a>, but at a daily rate of $25, it can be costly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, Joanne Leger tries to think outside the Lansdowne Park box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI kind of just drive around, and usually I can find a spot,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not always a lot of spots, and you do have to kind of try and beat the rush, but when you find one, it\u2019s great,\u201d Leger says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different streets may have different parking limits. Fifth Avenue limits parkers to one hour, while others, like Ralph Street, can be more lenient, allowing drivers to park for two, sometimes three hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust make sure there\u2019s not a Charge game or a concert that day,\u201d Leger warns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She says she\u2019s had to learn that lesson the hard way in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dow\u2019s Lake, 301 Preston Street (14-minute walk to Dow\u2019s Lake access point)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n

For those looking to start their skating adventures on Dow\u2019s Lake, they may want to check Preston Parking Lot (Lot 14) for cheap parking options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the city website<\/a>, Lot 14, like City Hall, has a maximum daily rate of $12 during the week and $2 on weekends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the night owls and early birds alike, parking is also free from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. on weekdays, and 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around Dow\u2019s Lake are also other street parking options, like Norman or Rochester Street, which both have a two-hour parking limit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Skates On, Winter On: Ottawa\u2019s outdoor rinks help skaters warm up to winter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Families take advantage of a cloudless afternoon and skate around at the Ben Franklin Place outdoor rink.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ottawa winters can be harsh. The nation\u2019s capital is known for its extreme cold weather, often biting at the ears and face of those willing to brave the frigid temperatures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, staying inside and hiding from the cold is not always the most fun either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

for many Ottawans, there\u2019s a lot of joy to be found during the early months of the year, as long as they bundle up and, most importantly, lace up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, Ottawa is known for its world-famous Rideau Canal skateaway. Stretching from the Rideau Locks near Parliament Hill to the wide berths of Dow’s Lake, the 7.8 km outdoor skating rink is the largest in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps a bit unsung are the capital\u2019s many other skating rinks. Along with 270 outdoor natural ice rink sites, four refrigerated ice surfaces are tucked away in all corners of the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Located in Lansdowne Park, City Hall, the Canterbury Recreation Complex and Ben Franklin Place in Nepean, these rinks are all maintained by the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some say these rinks offer a different touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, the Canal is very beautiful, but this is a bit quieter and a bit easier to manage with kids sometimes,\u201d Rachel Vendette says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking advantage of a sunny Monday afternoon, Vendette and her daughter decided to go for a skate at their nearby community outdoor rink, joining other families on the ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also nice because maybe people don\u2019t always want to drive to Lansdowne or downtown to skate, so I\u2019m very happy that there\u2019s one close to us at home.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vendette doesn\u2019t skate herself, but appreciates rinks like the one at Ben Franklin Place, where she gets to spend quality time with her daughter, who loves hitting the ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These municipal infrastructures have been important for allowing community members to gather and stay active during the winter season, but they wouldn\u2019t be possible without community volunteers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the city\u2019s general manager of Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services, Dan Chenier, more than 700 community volunteers \u201chelp construct and maintain our outdoor community rinks through their commitment and tireless work.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes creating and maintaining the ice surface, providing snow removal and at some locations, supervising the field house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At some locations, including the Rink of Dreams at City Hall and Lansdowne Park\u2019s Skating Court, rentals are available at $20 for 90 minutes and skate sharpening services are available for $10. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rinks like Ben Franklin Place also have indoor changing huts, providing families with warm places to get changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More information about the city\u2019s outdoor refrigerated skating rinks and their hours of operations can be found on the City of Ottawa website<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n




<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Articles Written by Ernest Ko Planning a Canal Day? Start With These Parking Spots So you\u2019re in Ottawa for the weekend. Perhaps it\u2019s a family weekend getaway. Or maybe you\u2019ve got a day off during a business trip.  Why not try skating on the canal? You\u2019ve been keeping them in the car since November; it\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-134","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=134"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":258,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134\/revisions\/258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/ottawabelowzero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}