Parliament Hill skating rink opens today

The Canada 150 Rink on Parliament Hill opens to the public today, but don't expect to just show up and start skating. You'll need to book in advance to be able to take a spin on the NHL-sizeice surface in the shadow ofthe Peace Tower.

Passes for the 40-minute skating sessions on Parliament Hill are free and available online two days in advance.

Daily reservations begin at noon,and you can book up to sixpasses at a time. But don't dawdle many of the first available slots are already full.

Groups of up to 50 can also book weekend slots by emailingskate@canada150rink.com.

Activities on the rink will includepublic skating, minor hockeygames,ice sport demonstrations and an Ottawa Senators alumni game, according to theCanada 150 Rinkwebsite.Most events on the rink will be free and open to the public.

The Canada 150 Rink, which was originally scheduled to open for justthree weeks in December, will now remainopen until Feb. 25, 2018.