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Skating and other recreational activities are not safe to do on storm ponds around the City
By Curtis Galbraith
Storm Ponds

Stay off unsafe storm ponds this winter: City

Dec 18, 2019 | 6:11 AM

City Hall is again reminding Grande Prairie residents that storm ponds are not to be used for recreation.

The City’s Transportation and Parks Manager Robert Carroll says this is because of safety concerns.

“These storm ponds are not designed to be used for recreational purposes. The water (level) fluctuates underneath and there could be a void underneath the ice surface which weakens the ice surface. We encourage people not to use these for recreational purposes.”

He adds past patrols and inspections have shown where ponds have been cleared for skating.

“We’ve even seen cases where there are hockey nets and benches out there. We’ll do our best to educate the community around the storm pond. Usually, we have our staff or the Fire Department has done it in the past, get out onto the surface and remove the nets and benches and get hold of the people responsible and advise them of the dangers of it.”

City bylaws prohibit using frozen storm ponds for skating and hockey.

They also prohibit vehicles. Carroll says they have seen evidence of snowmobiles going across these ponds, something that else that is prohibited by city bylaws.

Carroll adds there are other places people can go to skate.

“Right now, we have 20 or 22 ice rinks that are either being developed or just opened. We’re trying to get most of them open before Christmas. We also have the pond in front of the Muskoseepi Park Pavilion, which is a maintained and monitored pond. People are encouraged to skate on that.”

A list of outdoor rinks in the city can be found here.

by Curtis Galbraith