When it comes to organizing outdoor kilt skates, Mother Nature always has the last word. And so, with last week's warm spell continuing into the weekend across Eastern Canada, the Third Annual Sir John A's Great Canadian Kilt Skate had to be moved off the Rideau Canal. We're moving it to the Lansdowne Park Skating Court, where we held it last year.  It's a great place for a kilt skate: refrigeration coils to keep the ice from melting; Zamboni service to keep the ice smooth; changing rooms to keep skaters warm; electrical outlets to keep our costs down.

Another city has stepped forward to host Sir John A's Great Canadian Kilt Skate, bringing the total across Canada to seven -- the highest number yet seen in a growing winter tradition. Lloydminster is a city of 30,000 that straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. The kilt skate will be held at Bud Miller All-Seasons Park.  "The City of Lloydminster clears the ice on the lake for outdoor skating," says Kendra Jones McGrath, who owns and operates the Jones Studio of Pilates and Highland Dance. "There is also an indoor spot with a fireplace to warm up." 

“More than five million Canadians trace their ancestry to Scotland,” says Chris Maskell, Scottish Government representative. “We’re incredibly proud of that Scottish heritage, and we want to celebrate the enormous contribution that Scots and those of Scottish descent have made here in Canada – perhaps none more so than Sir John A. Macdonald.” The Scottish Government is keen to help the Scottish Canadian community maintain their connections to Scotland.  “This year marks the 150th birthday of Canada, but it is also Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology,” says Maskell. “There’s never been a better time to come and visit Scotland.”

We ...take great pleasure – and pride – in what is reportedly the best natural outdoor skating rink in the National Capital Region. Windsor Park has the best outdoor ice for a reason. For one thing,  weather permitting, an army of community volunteers work together so that, every night, a team goes out go out to flood the rink.

The Rideau Canal is not frozen yet. It will be a few weeks before we'll be able to glide down the Skateway. But the City of Ottawa has opened its rinks at City Hall and Lansdowne Park.  The refrigerated coils keep the ice cold so we can get our first outdoor skating experience of the season.  At night we come out to the Aberdeen Pavilion where,  last January, we held our second annual Sir John A's Great Canadian Kilt Skate.

Each year at around St. Andrew's Day (November 30), the Scottish hordes descend from the Hill (or up from the Valley) to occupy a grand house overlooking the Ottawa River.  They eat the food, drink the whisky, and make their announcements, then roll up their sleeps, hike up their kilts and get ready to present several weeks of Scottish themed activities in the Nation's Capital.

Once again, His Excellency, Howard Drake, British High Commissioner, and Mrs. Gill Drake opened their home to those celebrating the patron saint of Scotland.

But the skating weather is definitely on its way. Over the next days, ice started to form on the Rideau Canal. The temperatures at night did more to help turn November's canal into January's skateway.

There's probably 6-8 weeks left before the Rideau Canal Skateway is open for the season, but before the snow flies and the water freezes, the preparations have begun.  This week the Rideau Canal looks like this.

As Canada approaches the launch of its celebrations of 150 years as a nation, the Scottish community across the country is preparing to begin the party this winter with a kilt skate.  As of the beginning of November, six cities have begun to organize their events. In the coming weeks, they may be joined by several more.  The kilt skate is gaining momentum as a uniquely Canadian way to celebrate Scottish heritage.

After the summer break, the Scottish Society of Ottawa met to plan events for the coming year.  There's a lot on our plate, but this year the plans take into account that Canada will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2017. Time to pull out the stops and throw a party!

Here it is: the last day of August and ice skating on the canal is far from anyone's mind.  Here's the "skating court" outside the Aberdeen Pavilion. It's now a basketball court.

“Sir John A’s Great Canadian Kilt Skate has grown to become an annual tradition that is both uniquely Canadian and undeniably Scottish,” says Kevin MacLeod, Chair of the Scottish Society of Ottawa, which organizes the national event. “It highlights Canada’s nordicity in a way similar to the New Year’s Day polar bear dips in some communities.”

More than five million Canadians claim Scottish heritage. The mission of the Scottish Society of Ottawa is to promote awareness and appreciation of Scottish culture, and its contribution to the fabric of Canadian society and identity. We do this by engaging many Canadians of all backgrounds. The kilt skate is not just for people of Scottish descent. We want everyoneto join in, and we’re greatly inspired that Canadians of a wide range of ethnic backgrounds wear tartan in their scarves, shirts and hats.  So we will encourage Canadians to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday by wearing Canada’s favourite colour – tartan!