All the ice and snow around the city has been melting due to warmer temperatures so the City of Airdrie is shutting down its outdoor rinks. 

Eugene Lund, Manager of Public Works and Parks Operations for the City of Airdrie talks about the closure for the season. 

“A lot of the ice that was on the boarded rinks, for example, has melted in a lot of places and there's a lot of asphalt that's already visible. Some of the other temporary rinks or even some of the creeks that we would clear off the ice conditions are quite thin right now and are not suitable to be on.” 

Lund says cleanup of the rinks will start fairly soon. 

“We'll probably let most of the ice melt out of the boarded rinks. We put down some surface material underneath the ice surface and usually, those are anchored into the ground. So more often than not, we like to let the frost come out of the ground as it makes it easier to get those out without damaging them.” 

Lund and his team are already prepared for next year when the conditions are right. 

“Generally speaking, we start setting up outdoor rinks in the latter part of October, early part of November. Throughout November and into December is usually when we start flooding and doing our regular maintenance on them.” 

With the ice melting on all bodies of water, the Airdrie Fire Department is sharing some tips to help people stay safe from falling in.

  • Parents and guardians should discuss the danger of playing on or near natural waterways with their children. Ice conditions are currently, extremely unpredictable.
  • If a pet falls through the ice do not attempt a rescue – call 9-1-1 or go for help. This is a situation with high risk to anyone not trained or equipped to survive submersion in cold water.
  • It's crucial to plan and be adequately prepared to deal with an ice emergency. Personal flotation device or float coat, ice picks, a signalling device like a pea-less whistle, cell phone and using the buddy system will help in the event of an ice emergency. Despite the dangers, some people will venture onto the ice in pursuit of winter recreational activities, such as cross-country skiing, ice skating and ice fishing.
  • If you fall through the ice, don’t try and climb out immediately. Instead, turn back in the direction you came from. Reach forward onto the ice. Get horizontal and kick your feet and try to slide back up onto the ice. Once out of the water crawl or roll away. Avoid standing until you are well clear of the weak ice.

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com