Pipestone Flyer
The outdoor ice surfaces in Leduc are closed.
“The sun is deteriorating the ice and making it unsafe,” said Todd Wilson, Leduc’s manager of Parks and Open Spaces.
Because of that, all of Leduc’s outdoor skating surfaces were shut down last week and will likely remain closed.
“If we had a cold spell that lasted a couple of weeks we might look at reopening them,” he said. Given that it is the end of February and temperatures are generally only going to get warmer and the days longer, Wilson said it’s not likely to happen.
“I’m really happy if we make it to Family Day and this year was close,” he said. “Really, at this point we have closed our entire ice surfaces.
With all of the different water flows, salt levels in the storm ponds, warm days and cold snaps this winter, Wilson said the ice is extremely unstable and while the City banned skating on the storm ponds a few years ago, they are advising the public not to even walk on the ice.
“We cannot guarantee the safety of people,” he said.
Earlier this year, one person tripped on the unstable ice and injured themselves, he noted.
“We’re really trying to get the word out (to stay off the ice),” said Wilson, using social media and signs around the ice surfaces to remind people to stay off.
“We really don’t want anyone getting hurt so we’ll err on the safe side and say the ice surfaces are closed for the season.”