The city is warning residents to avoid the ice around rivers, lakes and ponds after Tuesday’s unseasonably warm weather forced the closure of St. Albert’s outdoor rinks.
The city announced Wednesday the rinks are closed effective immediately and will remain so until further notice. All lights at outdoor rinks will be kept off while the closure is in effect.
“The safety of our residents is a priority for the city that is why we have made the decision to close all city-maintained outdoor rinks until weather allows for safe use of the ice surfaces,” said public works director Dan Rites in a news release.
Temperatures Tuesday broke a January record, peaking at 7.7 C in the Capital region.
Rites also asked people to steer clear of any iced-over body of water while the temperatures remain warm.
“Parents are encouraged to teach their children about the dangers of playing on thin ice and residents are encouraged to obey all posted signs and take care around ice-covered bodies of water,” he said.
St. Albert has 27 sheets of ice at 19 outdoor locations. The rinks opened for the season in mid-December.
The ice at Lacombe Lake Park was closed just prior to Christmas after unknown persons chopped several holes in the ice surface, which caused water to spill onto the ice, making it unsafe for use.
