Cautionary signs are posted around the Bud Miller Lake warning people to stay off the ice until further notice. Jeannette Benoit-Leipert Meridian Source
The unseasonably warm weather and lack of snow is a welcome change for some Border City residents, but a hinderance for those who enjoy participating in various outdoor winter activities.
City of Lloydminster senior manager of parks and green spaces Jordan Newton says safety is also a concern, as the temperature fluctuates above and below zero daily.
“We just want to get early notification out to the community, as we are quickly approaching the holiday season and generally, we already do have our skating surfaces open—both our made outdoor rinks in our various locations throughout the community as well as our naturalized ice surface at Bud Miller All Seasons Park.”
Newton wants to remind residents to be aware of the stormwater retention ponds located around the city as well.
“The standing water in all of our neighbourhoods, it may look thick enough and may seem safe, but we have to remember … there are warm currents that flow through there and that will create thin ice in certain spots in any type of weather condition,” said Newton, adding rinks aren’t allowed to be made on them and people should be extra careful to ensure children and pets don’t go near the retention ponds.
The Bud Miller ice surface isn’t safe for skating or ice fishing yet either, but the hope is that it will be ready for the holiday season.
“We are monitoring conditions and re-flooding the ice and there is a hope that we can have that one skating surface open for the Christmas season. When it is ready there will be signage and notices to the community,” said Newton, adding the ice thickness is checked regularly.
Before the 10 outdoor rinks throughout the City can be flooded the temperatures must remain low enough for the ice to set properly.
“We want to make sure before we put the resources into that we can see consistent cold temperatures,” said Newton.
“It’s something our team is monitoring daily, when to begin building that ice and we do ask the community while we are building it to stay off those ice surfaces as we do flood daily.”
In the meantime, there are indoor options for skating.
“We do have the leisure ice at the Servus Sports Centre that is open along with the facility for free skating along that smaller ice surface,” said Newton.
“But all of our neighbourhood rinks do offer sporadic free skates and family skates and I just encourage the community to check the city’s website for dates and times.”
The City of Lloydminster will continue to update the community on the status of outdoor amenities. Citizens are encouraged to regularly visit Lloydminster.ca/News and follow the City on Facebook and Instagram.
Cross-country skiers are going to have to wait for mother nature to provide snow as well, before they can hit the trails.
Brian Stevenson, an avid cross-country skier says he’s impatiently awaiting snow.
“I know I’m probably greatly in the minority in my household, of wanting to have snow. Everybody else seems to think this is great but it’s not fun.”
He regularly roller-skis, runs and bikes to train for skiing, but it isn’t quite like the real thing.
“We have had years like this in the past, for sure. You get really tired of just the dry land training and not being able to actually get on snow.”
Stevenson is on the board of the Lloydminster Cross-country Ski Club, and he says they have an excellent set up when the weather cooperates.
“We set trail at the Lloydminster Golf and Country Club, we set trail there during the winter, but we also have trails that are just to the east of town. Just to the north of big gully, out on 303. It’s called poplar bluff,” said Stevenson, adding they also have a clubhouse in that area where people can rent equipment.
“It’s pretty hilly … It’s quite treed, it’s a super nice area to go ski. We’ve upgraded all our trail equipment in the last couple of years, so the trails that we’re setting here are fantastic—when we have snow.”
