Rideau Canal

The Rideau Canal stretches 202 kilometres from Ottawa to Kingston, Ontario, connecting the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario through a series of 45 locks and 24 lock stations constructed between 1826 and 1832 under Lieutenant Colonel John By. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, it is the oldest continuously operating canal system in North America and remains fully operational for recreational boating from May through October. The Ottawa section of the canal runs through the heart of the capital, flanked by NCC-maintained recreational paths, and in winter the 7.8-kilometre urban stretch freezes to become what the Guinness World Records has certified as the world's largest naturally frozen skating rink. Skate rentals and BeaverTail pastry stands operate along the canal banks through the Rideau Canal Skateway season, which runs from approximately late January through late February depending on temperature. The downtown locks between Wellington Street and the Chateau Laurier staircase the canal from the Ottawa River level down eight locks in a sequence visible from the adjacent plaza; Parks Canada lock staff operate these manually from May through October and welcome observers. Pleasure craft ranging from kayaks to houseboats pass through the locks on a first-come, first-served reservation system. The Colonel By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Driveway parallel the canal on either side and are closed to cars on summer Sundays for Confederation Boulevard recreation programming.