News Release
Councillor Urges Residents to be Cautious on Lakes
(Tuesday, February 20/07)-- Councillor Andrew Younger today urged residents skating or playing on frozen lakes within HRM to exercise extreme caution as the result on an incident in his District last evening.
Councillor Younger said he had been advised that two teenagers had fallen through the ice Monday evening on Lake Charles in Dartmouth. Both were able to remove themselves from the ice and they experienced no injuries.
“Although the ice thickness on lakes may meet or exceed Red Cross safety standards, we have to keep in mind that in a natural environment, thickness may vary from place to place on the lakes, “ he said. “Skaters and others must be extremely careful and keep a constant watch for thin ice patches or open water on the lakes. They should make sure never to go out on the ice alone and to stay within a reasonable distance of the shoreline.”
For information about ice thickness, HRM residents may contact the HRM Iceline at 490-3577 or visit the HRM website at www.halifax.ca
It is HRM’s intention to do weekly testing of lakes (pending weather conditions) and the Iceline information will be updated accordingly. More than 100 lakes, mostly in the urban core, are tested on a regular basis by trained HRM staff in the Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville, Hammonds Plains, Prospect, Harrietsfield, Hubley, Timberlea and Cole Harbour areas.
The public is reminded that The Canadian Red Cross recommends that ice be at least six (6) inches thick for individual skating and at least eight (8) inches thick for group skating. Extreme caution is advised in areas where streams flow into and out of the lakes. Ice conditions may vary over the entire surface of the lakes and are subject to change with weather conditions.
HRM reminds all citizens to make certain that ice conditions are safe and urges them to exercise extreme caution when walking, skating or participating in other outdoor events on frozen lakes this winter season.
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Councillor Andrew Younger
476-1727
