Snow Carvings In The Park

 Another of the bas relief carvings into the snow- this having the look of a Jay.

Another look at that moose.

I saw the Ice Hogs walking around- the mascots of Winterlude. Based on the groundhog, there are four of them that can be found at Winterlude sites. Three of them are in this photo.

Also around this site, several ice benches are built into hollows for photo ops.

A hockey player was carved into the wall nearby.

This is Alexander Graham Bell, the Canadian inventor.

The day I came over was Flag Day. This carving includes a flag, and depicts a Mountie.

I started heading out.

A tug of war was set up, and two groups were having a go at it.

Lots of people make use of this park during Winterlude.

This wall included colourful paint on carved snow.

And lastly, as I headed to board a shuttle bus back to the other side of the river, I photographed this map, specifically for Red, who made inquiries earlier in the series. Nearly all of the Rideau Canal skateway is included in this map, along with multiple sites on both sides of the Ottawa River.

In The Shadow Of The Moon

 This series of panels on the Artemis mission details the extensive preparations undertaken by the crew.

Around the back of the snow mound, another smaller slide, this one made of ice, for younger kids who might not be ready for the big snow slides. Snow carvings accompany the area.

They include a moose in bas relief.

Frozen Splendour Along A River

 The lines were long to head up to the main slides.

This year, a ferris wheel has been included in the festivities.

Through a gap in the trees, I looked across the frozen Ottawa River. On the far side, the frozen east branch of the Rideau Falls, where the Rideau River meets the Ottawa River.

Behind the big mound are smaller mounds of snow, geared towards activities for smaller kids.

A series of photographic displays are embedded into the wall of the big mound.

They are about the Artemis II mission to the Moon, the first manned mission to our moon since the Apollo program ended. NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman are being joined on the mission by Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. 

A Winter Playground By The River

 Winterlude is also marked across the Ottawa River, where Gatineau's festivities are centered around Jacques Cartier Park, which is turned into a winter playground on the shores of the Ottawa River.

These were on display near the entrance.

A large mound of snow is created, with multiple slides lined up.

There are also a couple of oversized Muskoka chairs here.

This being an Olympics year, a bobsled was set up for photo ops.

We'll pick up here tomorrow.