Skating on thin ice: Markham residents still using storm ponds, streams despite warnings

City reissues warning, directs residents to skate ‘worry-free’ at Civic Centre’s outdoor skating rink

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 9, 2021

With Family Day, Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day around the corner and people looking for ways to stay active outdoors, the City of Markham is reissuing a warning to residents to stay off the ice on stormwater ponds, streams and bodies of water in parks.

On the heels of a public notice in December, the city is once again directing residents to the city’s outdoor skating rink at the Civic Centre in response to reports of people still skating on storm ponds, despite the recent warnings and potential dangers.

"Despite the recent news coverage of children losing their lives by falling through the ice over ponds and lakes, the city continues to see residents out on storm ponds, park ponds and streams," a spokesperson for the city said.

Tragically, an 11-year-old boy died after he and another boy fell through the ice on a stormwater management pond in Milton in December.

“The risk of thin ice is very real this winter,” the spokesperson said, adding that ice found on storm ponds, park ponds and streams is not maintained, and there may be thin spots where unseen currents continue to flow all winter long.

Markham isn't alone. The City of Richmond Hill also issued a public statement in January advising residents to stay off of lakes, rivers, ponds and stormwater ponds after York Regional Police were called in to help city staff clear people from the ice at Mill Pond Park.

Temperatures have not remained low enough for thick, stable ice to form. And in urban areas, the ice may be weakened by road salt and ice-melting chemicals that have been washed off the roads and from nearby homes. Together, these create unpredictable, dangerous ice.

While lacing up and going for a skate can be a great winter activity, the city does not want outdoor skating trips turning into unplanned polar bear dips, let alone a tragedy.

Instead, it is advising residents to skate worry-free at the city’s outdoor skating rink located at the Civic Centre.

In light of physical distancing measures due to the pandemic, residents must book an ice time at markham.ca/wps/portal/home/recreation/programs/skating-and-hockey/00-skating-and-hockey.

You can also apply to build a community ice rink for your family and neighbours.

And if skating isn’t necessarily your thing, you can try out one of eight pathways that are part of Markham’s new pathway winter maintenance pilot program and provide your feedback at yourvoicemarkham.ca/winter.

If you want to stay bundled up indoors, sign up for a virtual recreation program at markham.ca/wps/portal/home/recreation/programs, or consider one of the virtual programs at the Markham Public Library markhampubliclibrary.ca.

The library is also offering special programs to celebrate Black History Month this February.