Commuting On Ice: A Winter Mobility Solution

In the era of micromobility, you might think you’ve heard of just about every way of getting to work. Unicycle? Hoverboard? Flying saucer? Somewhere out there, someone has done it (except for the saucer, maybe).

But what about a technology that’s been around for over a century, one that harnesses your own body power to propel you far more efficiently than walking? No, we’re not talking about bikes (or e-bikes). We’re talking boots with blades on the bottom – also known as skating. Just about every Canadian shares the joy of skating, but few get the chance to do it as a commute. In the City of Ottawa, however, there’s a very real possibility of doing so. Thanks to the Rideau Canal Skateway, Ottawa has a 7.8 km long linear ice skating rink that draws nearly a million visitors every year.

Senior Mobility Consultant Matt Pinder joined in the Ottawa tradition of skating to work this week. Though he’d been skating on the canal for years, he was finally ecstatic to use the canal as part of his commute. The commute started with Matt’s second favorite form of transportation: the newly-opened O-Train Line 2, a short but comfortable ride from Greenboro Station to Carleton University.

From there, Matt briefly joined the mob of students heading to class before breaking off to head to the southernmost access point to the canal.

After lacing up, it was time to hit the ice. At this hour the skaters were few (especially compared to a weekend), but the numbers slowly rose as Matt glided towards downtown Ottawa.

Matt coasted under some of Ottawa’s many bridges, and his stomach grumbled as he passed one of the several Beavertails stands along the way (sadly not open at this hour).

Nearly 6 km later, Matt arrived at his exit point, switched back to his boots, and walked the last bit to the Mobycon Ottawa office.

When asked what he loves about the canal, Matt says, “It’s Ottawa’s greatest public space. People take great pride in having it here, and I love to see people of all ages and abilities outside smiling, even on the cold winter days.”

Will he consider commuting on ice again? “Of course”, Matt says. “The past couple of winters have shown how fleeting the skating season can be. If I can manage it, I’ll be out here every single day!”

Want to experience this yourself?

Feel free to reach out. Our Ottawa team might even join you on the ice for a skate to work! If skating isn’t your thing, no problem—we’d be happy to walk alongside you, host a walking tour, or meet up for a warm drink and a chat.

Let us know; we are here to help!