Sections of the Rideau Canal pathway in downtown Ottawa will be closed over the next five weeks.
Parks Canada is conducting “investigative work” on the Rideau Canal walls to assess the conditions, as well as the subsurface soil conditions. The agency says the information gathered from the work will help with planning any required future repair work.
Starting today, the Rideau Canal Eastern Pathway will be closed from just south of the Government Conference Centre to just south of the Laurier Avenue Bridge. The second phase of the work will require a 400-metre closure from the Laurier Avenue Bridge to just south of the Corktown Bridge.
The work is scheduled to continue until the end of February.
Parks Canada says the work near the Government Conference Centre will occur first to ensure there is no impact on Winterlude activities. There is expected to be “minimal” impact on the Rideau Canal Skateway.
The repair of the Rideau Canal walls is part of Parks Canada’s $3 billion investment to support infrastructure work to heritage, visitor, waterway and highway assets.