National Skating Day is December 10, 2017 throughout Canada

Canadians are invited to lace up their skates and take to The Hill this December to celebrate National Skating Day.

The government said Thursday it will build a family skating rink on Parliament Hill as the country closes out its 2017 150th birthday celebration.

The rink will be open for skating from Dec. 7 until Dec. 31 and will culminate with a New Year’s Eve celebration on Parliament Hill.

The Dec. 7 opening also coincides with the Christmas lights illumination which will feature musical performances and fireworks. In addition, Sunday, Dec. 10 will be celebrated as National Skating Day with the Hill rink as the focus of events to take place in 200 communities across Canada.

The Parliamentary rink announcement comes after the government nixed the hopes of the NHL and the Ottawa Senators to stage an outdoor game on Parliament Hill to celebrate the NHL’s 100th anniversary this year. That game, between the Senators and the Montreal Canadiens, will instead be played outdoors at Lansdowne Park on Dec. 16.