Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
This year, for the first time in its more than 50-year history, the beloved Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa didn't open. Since its inaugural season in 1971, the famous canal-turned-rink has welcomed Ottawans and other visitors every year, offering a skating route of nearly eight kilometres through the heart of the capital. But this year, temperatures were higher than average, making the world's largest natural outdoor rink unsafe for skating.
