Caution around frozen ponds and waterways

The City of Kelowna is reminding residents to use caution around frozen ponds and waterways and to not walk or skate on the ice as the temperature warms up.

“The city’s park services staff do not maintain or inspect the ice surface on public waterways and there is no guarantee the ice is thick enough to support a person’s weight. Pond ice may look thick enough and safe to skate on but, especially late in the season, thickness can change quickly and dramatically, creating potential for injury,” a city news release stated.

Skating on the lagoon at Waterfront Park is said to be particularly dangerous.

“The lagoon has a current flowing through it, which makes ice thickness especially unpredictable. It also has a lining between the water and the concrete below that could easily be torn by a skate and fixing that tear would be a considerable undertaking. For these reasons, the city discourages residents from skating on the lagoon,” the release went on to say.

People are encouraged to use facilities like the Stuart Park ice rink, the Capital News Centre, Rutland Arena and Prospera Arena for public skating.