Winterlude in Ottawa

Photo from February Snowmageddon

As this cold weather still lingers in the air, promises of warm and sunny days linger in my mind. But in the meantime, the snowy days and frosty nights do bring a certain charm of their own. Why not make the most out of these cold winter months and the activities that they provide? Frozen ice pads for skating and snowy hills for tubing and skiing are all great activities that have a limited time in this country. And heck, you can do both for free!

With Family Day falling in the dead of winter (a greatly appreciated holiday indeed), Matt and I decided to pack a bag and head to Ottawa to visit Erin and her family for the weekend. The Friday we left, it was actually quite a mild day; the sun was shining, perfect for a long drive. If you’ve done that drive before, you’ll know that they had to blast their way through rock to run the road through there, leaving behind a beautiful stretch of landscaping. As we drove through that stretch of road around Kingston, we saw water just gushing out between the rocks as the snow began to melt, and some pretty rapidly. While it was very cool to see, it also made us think that our plans for the weekend might be spoiled.

This particular weekend happened to be the last of the annual Winterlude Fest, and with the mild weather we had that week, we weren’t sure how many of the activities would be open. And then came an extreme cold snap, and the just-melted snow was now freezing while we slept. We had packed our ice skates in the hopes of perhaps gliding on the Canal, but, even with the cold snap, we learned it would be closed both Saturday and Sunday. Better safe than sorry; there’s always next year.

But other activities were still open. Saturday afternoon we bundled everyone up and headed to Rogers Crystal Garden at Confederation Park to see the ice sculptures. I wondered if the warmer air would have melted any of them, but most seemed to be in good shape. There are some very talented artists in Canada; the sculptures were amazing! But with the chilly air blowing in our faces, we stayed only long enough to see the sculptures and enjoy a Beavertail (a local treat) and some Snow Taffey before heading home to a warm house for the rest of the night.

Sunday morning we got up bright and early, jumped in the car and drove to Jacques-Cartier Park to play at the Snowflake Kingdom. Erin, having two kids, knows that the earlier you get there, the less busy it will be, so we were there shortly after the park opened. We started our day taking a tube ride down an ice covered hill, but after that first run, and the newly formed ice, for safety reasons they closed the run for the morning. Luckily we got our ride in first. Next, it was on to the snow hills, man-made mounds of packed snow that kids and adults slide down on their snow-pant-padded bums. This is fun for the whole family, as the younger kids can ride down with their parents, and the older kids (like Matt and I) can go on our own.

As the morning wore on and we tired of the sliding, we stopped inside a heated tent to enjoy yet another Beavertail. Deep fried dough covered in sugar - yes, please! Did you know they come in a selection of flavours, both savoury and sweet? I didn’t, but I do now. We ate them up and then slowly made our way back to the car, stopping here and there to see some other small attractions (a giant inflatable beaver, an accordion-playing snowman, a very large deck chair), and then headed back home for a nice afternoon nap, adults included.

I remember my parents taking me and my siblings to Winterlude as young kids, probably during one of my brother’s hockey tournaments in Ottawa (and, as I know my memory is not that great, this is surely incorrect. My mother can correct my errors). I remember the bitter cold but also the fun that we had. That year (late ’80’s perhaps) we did get to skate on the ice, but as our toes quickly froze, we didn’t last long. I remember watching my dad and brother learn to play sled hockey, where, seated in a sled, you must propel yourself along with two pointed sticks. I remember it being a fun weekend, but I wonder if my memories are different from my parents, who surely heard “I’m coooooold!” many, many times.

We drove back Monday afternoon, a little more tired than when we left (but that’s life with kids, so I’m told), and as we did, we arrived at a very different scene along the highway. The gushing water we saw just days before was now frozen solid in giant icicles. I wish I had snapped a photo, because it sure was a beautiful sight. While I'm anxious for spring to get here, I'm enjoying the winter while it's around.