With the warm December weather, the Airdrie RCMP want to ensure parents and children are discussing ice safety, so that no one goes out on outdoor ice.

Cst. Dan Martin said the weather in November was cold enough that a significant amount of ice formed on Airdrie's ponds and creeks. Despite the heat this month, the ice has persisted but is not safe to venture out on.

"The conditions have obviously deteriorated quite a bit. Just looking at some of the ponds in town this week, quite a bit of slush has formed on top and made it very unsuitable for skating on, but definitely I could see kids being attracted to the ice and trying to walk across it."

With the warmth, police want to make sure parents are talking to their kids about the possibly dangerous conditions.

"Kids are going to be coming home for the holiday break, and we know it's typically a good time of year to be out skating and playing on the ice and we just wanted to make sure that parents were talking to their children about this and ensuring that they understand the dangers of playing near the ice or even near the open water."

The message is incredibly important, especially in light of an incident in February where a six year old boy fell through ice in Bayside and passed away.

"There was a very tragic incident last year and we definitely do not want to see that repeated this year, so we're putting the message out early about the ice and we strongly encourage that parents pass this down to all their children."

Martin explained that they have not observed people going out on the ice or heard any complaints. The ice safety message is simply precautionary.

While the ice remains thin, Martin recommends road hockey as an alternative if the warmth continues, and said residents can also take advantage of Airdrie's indoor rinks if they absolutely have to go skating.

 

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