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Festival Directions
General information
Ottawa, Ontario is Canada's beautiful capital. It is located about 450 km east and a little north of Toronto, ON and about 190 km west and a little north of Montreal. New York City is a 8 to 9 hour drive away and flights from the US west coast take like about 5 hours or so if direct. Ottawa is located right on the border to La belle province, Quebec, separated only by the great Ottawa River. That means our back yard is Gatineau Park, where many recreational activities take place in a great natural environment.
Ottawa also boosts one of the best recreational path systems, with over 150 km of nicely paved, fully connected pathways running along side our 2 rivers and the Rideau Canal, and many connecting path in between. For tourism information visit the National Capital Commission web site.
Full directions to the Festival:
Festival Site Access
All Festival events take place on the most easterly section of the Rockcliffe Parkway, a senic route which runs beside the Ottawa River from Rideau Hall, the Governor General's residence, to the edge of the greenbelt. See course map
Festival Village - with on-site registration, race kit pick up and start/finish area - is at the intersection of the Rockcliffe parkway and the Blair road access path (P6). This site features lots of roadside parking only a few steps away from the Festival Village and start/finish areas. For driving instructions see the Google map.
The Rockcliff Parkway will be closed to motorized traffic from 9 am until 1 pm for Sunday Bikedays. As such, the Festival site is best reached on skates or by bike from the Aviation Museum parking lot, approximately 2 km away or via the Blair Road pedestrian access point. The parkway will not be re-opened to motorized traffic until the end of our Festival events at 6:30pm.
Parking
Blair Road pedestrian access - from within Ottawa there are many ways to get there. This one is the easiest to explain!
- From west/downtown: Get on Highway 417 going East, go past the split toward Rockland (174), exit at Blair Road.
- From east: Highway 417 going west, take exit 113B to merge onto Aviation Parkway going North
- Turn north onto Blair
- Continue to end of Blair road (Massey Lane)
This is the closest parking to the Festival village where there is street parking near the Blair Road pedestrian access point. Please be aware that vehicles parked facing the wrong way are likely to be ticketed!
Aviation Museum parking lot :
- At corner of Aviation Parkway and Rockcliffe Parkway
- You'll see the Museum easily as you approach, and the parking is on the left.
- Skate / bike / walk 3 km east on the Rockcliffe Parkway to the village.
Flying to Ottawa
Code: YOW. Lots of airlines service Ottawa, including many US airlines. Just check online or with your travel agent. The Ottawa airport is brand new and is remarkably efficient at getting travelers through upon arrival. Taking the road from the Highway to Ottawa, you'll end up on Bronson from which you can turn onto Highway 417 East (see below). It's only about 45 minutes from the airport to the start line.
Train to Ottawa
Ottawa is easily accessible by train (VIA Rail) as it is part of the Windsor to Quebec corridor. Catch your train in Toronto or Montreal and enjoy the relaxing ride in comfort. From the train station to the Festival site is about a 20 minute taxi ride.
Driving from Montreal
- Highway 40 Ouest/West out of Montreal - it turns into Highway 417.
- Off Highway 417 going west, take exit 113B to merge onto Aviation Parkway going North
- OPTION A: Museum
- Carry on until the end where it meets Rockcliffe Parkway, you'll see the Museum easily as you approach, and the parking is on the left.
- Skate / bike / walk 3 km east on the Rockcliffe Parkway to the village.
- OPTION B: Blair Road
- Turn right onto Ogilvie
- Turn left onto Blair
- Continue to end of Blair (Massey Lane)
Driving from Toronto
- Highway 401 East.
- Take Highway 416 North (around exit 709) to Ottawa.
- Get on Highway 417 East , stay on the highway through all of downtown,go past the Split toward Rockland on the 174 (do not go to Montreal!) Exit at Blair Road.
- Turn north onto Blair, cross Ogilvie and Monreal roads (traffic lights at each of these)
- Continue to end of Blair Road (Massey Lane)
