Rideau Canal skating season over

The Rideau Canal skating season has ended for 2013, the National Capital Commision announced Thursday.

Heavy wet snow has weakened the ice and expected mild weather in the forecast is likely to make it difficult for safe ice conditions to come back to the 7.8-km skateway, the NCC said in a news release.

The skating season on the canal began on Jan. 18 and lasted 42 days, with 38 skating days during that time, including 26 consecutive days that coincided with all three weekends of Winterlude.

Last year the canal was only open for skating for 28 days, one of the worst skating seasons in a decade.