A sign posted at Southride Park Pond lets people know how thick the ice is, and whether it's safe to be on. - Photo by Charles Lefebvre

By Charles Lefebvre

Ice safety

New signs inform residents of ice thickness

Nov 20, 2019 | 4:13 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Medicine Hat Parks and Recreation Department has unveiled its newest initiative to help let people know if it is safe to go on the ice.

Signs telling people about the thickness of ice were put up last week near the pond in Southridge Park and Leinweber Pond, behind the Stampede Grounds.

“The signs are meant to inform the general public of the ice in terms of thickness, and safety to be able to go out on the ice in terms of skating, hockey, et cetera,” said Dave Genio, superintendent of Parks and Recreation.

The city has wanted to put in signs at the ponds for the past year. They were officially installed last week. City workers will measure the ice at least once a week and update the signs as needed.

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Snowshoeing, skating and cross-country skiing is allowed on the two ponds if the ice is at least six inches thick.

Genio adds, while the signs serve as a guide for residents, they still need to be safe while on the ice.

“We do urge residents, and anybody going out there to use those ponds is to take due caution due to drastic changes in temperature,” he said. “You know if we go from minus 20 to plus 10 in the span of a couple of days, the ice thickness can change, but we do our best to get out there as much as possible when those weather changes happen.”