Rideau Canal Skateway to open for skating on Sunday

Sharpen your skates! The world-famous Rideau Canal Skateway will open for skaters beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday for the first time in two years.

It's official: The Rideau Canal will open this winter.

The National Capital Commission announced that the world-famous skateway will open for skaters beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday for the first time in two years.

The skateway will only be open on a 1.9-kilometre stretch between Bank Street and the Pretoria Bridge, the NCC said on social media, as weather conditions only allow for a partial opening for now.

BeaverTails will be open along the skateway, but skate rentals will not be available for now. The NCC is asking skaters to be mindful of teams still working on the ice.

The canal needs at least 30 centimetres of ice for the skateway to open, which usually requires 10 to 14 days of weather between -10 C and -20 C.

A cold spell in the capital has kept temperatures under -10 C since Monday. Environment Canada says Ottawa is looking at below-normal temperatures this weekend, with highs between -9 C and -13 C and lows between -10 C and -18 C.

Temperatures are expected to be warmer than usual next week, though they should remain mostly below freezing.