New Year has arrived and gone.
But in the city of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, the fun is only about to start.
Photo credit:Vince Alongi/Flickr
Preparation for the Skateway starts as early as mid-October.
Samples of ice are tested for quality and thickness.
The skating season was the longest in 19711972, when it stayed open for 90 days.
The shortest was 35 days in 20012002.
The federal government’s ownership of the canal, however, prevented the city from pursuing this proposal.
The plan was implemented on January 18, 1971, despite opposition by city council.
Today, the skateway has an average of one million visits per year.
