As temperatures fluctuate, no ice is safe ice.
While you and your family may be eager to get outdoors, please use caution around all ice surfaces. Ice on Chestermere Lake may look solid, but thickness and stability can change dramatically from one area to another.
Storm ponds may look inviting to skate on, but they are unsafe. These ponds experience frequent changes in water levels and continuous water movement during freeze and thaw cycles, which creates highly unstable ice. Please stay off all storm ponds at all times.
Ice colour can help indicate strength:
- Clear blue ice is the strongest.
- White opaque or “snow ice” is only about half as strong as clear blue ice.
- Grey ice is not safe, as the colour indicates the presence of water.
Ice thickness is the most reliable measure of safety. Minimum recommended ice thickness:
- 15 cm for walking or skating alone
- 20 cm for group skating or games
- 25 cm for snowmobiles
Floating ice on open water such as ponds, rivers, and lakes is never 100 percent safe, even at recommended thicknesses.
Keep an eye out for our ice measurements! Crews will begin taking ice thickness measurements from mid December to early January, depending on when conditions are safe enough for staff to access the ice. These updates will help you know when the ice is safe to use.
Please put safety first and treat all ice as unpredictable.
