Despite recent backlash from residents, Chestermere City council passed amendments Jan. 19 to the municipality's Storm Drainage Bylaw, strengthening the municipality's expectations that residents must stay off frozen storm ponds and drainage canals.
“We recognize that our residents are looking for more opportunities to get outside, particularly during the pandemic, but we cannot jeopardize the lives of our citizens by allowing recreation on storm ponds,” said Mayor Marshall Chalmers, in a City press release. “We offer 13 other outdoor rink alternatives, so there is no need to endanger our community, and especially our children, by permitting skating on these dangerous storm water management facilities.”
Council's decision comes less than a week after a male youth was reported to have fallen through the ice of a frozen storm pond in the community of Kinniburgh. The child was able to get out on his own, according to an RCMP press release, but the City stated the incident "exemplifies the significant risk of being on these ponds."
Following that incident, City staff spread sand atop the surfaces of other storm ponds to deter skating – much to the anger of local residents who use the surfaces for skating and hockey.
“Storm ponds are a lot of times seen as a place to recreate,” Chalmers said. “It is a real challenge for communities to help citizens understand that they are not safe – you just can’t be on them. We do have that segment of the population here in Chestermere who either didn’t know, didn’t see, or chose to ignore the prohibited signs.”
Prior to council's vote, the the municipality's engineering, fire, utility, park and enforcement officials outlined the dangers of skating or walking on storm ponds in a presentation.
“Storm ponds are not natural ponds,” said Bernie Morton, the City’s chief administrative officer. “They are engineered facilities that have water consistently running below the ice. That water, containing a multitude of contaminants, weakens the ice considerably and makes these structures incredibly unsafe for recreational purposes.”
Chestermere Fire Captain Brent Paquette told council the fire department's investigation into the incident involving the youth indicated the ice was "strong enough to hold a grown man" just inches away from where the boy fell in.
“It is this unpredictability of ice thickness that illustrates why these facilities are so dangerous," he said. "One step you could be fine, and the next step you could be under the water."
Morton said he sympathized with residents who were upset at the loss of the storm ponds for their outdoor recreation, but added "the science is clear that this is not a safe space to put these rinks, and never has been."
“We don’t want any member of our community to have to bear the impact of having been part of a tragic accident on a storm pond, nor the potential liabilities that come with an incident like that," he said. "Instead, we invite residents who are eager to play hockey or skate to join us in adopting an on-land rink in their own community instead.”
According to the municipality's press release, for those who disregard the City's pleas to stay off the ice, the new legislation amendment strengthens enforcement officers’ abilities to eject people from the ponds, impound objects left on storm ponds, and issue fines. The bylaw applies to all ponds, streams, and canals in the city, the release stated.
"Residents are still welcome to skate on four on-land outdoor rinks around the community or nine cleared and maintained rinks on Chestermere Lake, where City Parks staff conduct regular ice thickness measurements," the release stated.
Chalmers said the City recognizes it's been a long hard winter, adding the City isn't trying to reduce fun and healthy recreational activities for residents.
“We have to keep pounding away here,” he said. “It’s about educating and helping people understand storm ponds are not safe, they are not to be recreated on because tragedies are waiting to happen.”
—With files form Jordan Stricker/Rocky View Weekly
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
