06/06/2026
What the Duck?!?
What’s the story of those guys in the duck suits?
A little backstory …
The Ottawa rubber duck race—the famous Kiwanis Duck Race for Tiny Hearts at CHEO—held from its initial race May 14, 1988 to its final run in 2005.
This iconic event, involved dumping hundreds of thousands of yellow plastic ducks into the Rideau Canal at the Hartwell Locks which would float to the finish line. The ticket holders corresponding to the first ducks to cross the finish line won significant prizes from sponsors, with all of the funds raised going to support the Children’s Hospital.
So back to those guys in the duck suits ….
Not sure if this happened at the inaugural 1988 duck race … but it definitely happened sometime between 88 and 91 while we were working at 54 ROCK!
Bob Cowan and I came up with the absolutely brilliant idea that it would be fun, and funny, to dress up in duck suits and jump in the canal, swimming along with all the rubber duckies and winning the race… those rubber duckies wouldn’t stand a chance against us.
So the plan was set in to motion
Then …legal informed us that we would have to reimburse all the ticket holders…. So that quickly put an end to that idea.
But still - we had already rented the duck suits!!!
So Bob and I decided we would still go down to the race site, and we’d talk to anybody who would listen. Tell them the story, of two ducks who’ve been training for years for this competition, then were not allowed to compete, false claims of steroid use because of our size …. etc
Race day - We suited up, we hopped in the 54 ROCK station van and raced our way to Hartwell Locks… made it past security on Hogsback… we saw them raising the container about to drop the ducks ….so Bob put the pedal down & floored it
“BOB - LOOK OUT!!!!! “ - I yelled.
Bob slammed his feet on the brakes, screeching & skidding it to a halt …. narrowly missing a family or a cyclist or pedestrians … someone crossing the street making their way to the race.
We sat in the van shaking for what seemed like an eternity.
Then we got out - mingled with people, pics with kids…. had some disgruntled duck interviews with media….
It was a good day
Next day - called into our GMs office. Oh no - Did one of the pedestrians call about our driving??? Did organizers call upset at our ‘appearance’???
Nope - GM informed us how excited he was that his parents in the U.S saw ‘those guys in the duck suits’ on CNN !!!! This way way before it was available here on ‘cable’ - so we made international news!!!
It hindsight - was a great day!!!
Anyway -
If you’re in the Ottawa area this weekend, Manotick is hosting the Great Mill Duck Drop rubber duck race event on June 7, 2026
Will ‘those guys in the duck suits’ come out of retirement????????
