Queen Elizabeth Driveway opening again for active use on weekends

The National Capital Commission is again turning a road beside the Rideau Canal in Ottawa into a multi-use path to let people get distanced outdoor exercise.

Starting Jan. 15,Queen Elizabeth Driveway will be closed to vehicles on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Somerset Street West in Centretown and Fifth Avenue in the Glebe.

It may have to pause this at times if winter weather requires the road to be cleared, the NCC said in a statement. The organization has announced similar closures during the COVID-19 pandemic,including in January 2021.

The statement didn't include an end date.

As for exercise on the Rideau Canal Skatewayitself, the NCC said in an email Wednesday that preparations are well underway to reach the 30 centimetres of thickness required to open.