'A soupy mess': Warmer weather closes stretch of river skating trail

Warmer conditions are closing part of The Forks' river skating trail prompting a warning from safety officials about going on unsupervised ice.

Whether it's skating, walking, biking or skiing, the Nestaweya River Trail at The Forks is a winter tradition for many.

"It's a nice change in scenery to get out and do something active in the winter. Nice way to stay active, I guess," said Abbey Meadows, who was skating on the trail Sunday afternoon.

Skaters will now have a shorter distance to travel.

As of Sunday, the river trail will close from Donald to Hugo Street.

"At this time of year, obviously we get a lot more sunshine, and it starts to melt the top layer, and it just becomes a soupy mess to skate through, and then it doesn't refreeze," explained Clare MacKay, chief communities officer at The Forks. "So that portion of the trail for this year obviously got a lot of sunshine and we going to have to close it for the rest of the season."

It's an annual melt the City of Winnipeg is also seeing.

"Due to the possibility of rapidly-changing ice conditions based on weather, currents, run-off, etc. Residents are urged to use caution around all frozen waterways," said the City of Winnipeg in an email to CTV News.

The City of Winnipeg added beyond ponds used for skating, it does not monitor ice conditions on rivers or other waterways.

Lifesaving Society Manitoba said while it's never 100 per cent safe to venture onto any ice, March is when unpredictable weather can make it riskier.

"The Assiniboine River, for example, the Shell Mouth Dam has been opened, so more water is flowing. All of those things will combine to create more unpredictable conditions, and there's a greater chance that ice is going to break, people are going to go through, and so we advise caution," said Christopher Love, the Lifesaving Society's water smart and safety management coordinator.

Love said if you are going out on unsupervised ice, properly check the ice is thick enough, wear a floatation device, carry safety gear like a rope and whistle, and use the buddy system.

However, Lifesaving Society Manitoba recommends people stick to ice that is supervised, like the river trail.

"It's really important people understand it is still a moving river, and mother nature will do what she does, so safety is really important to us," said MacKay.

MacKay said even with the Donald Street closure, there is still lots of space down the Assiniboine and Red River to skate.

The Nestaweya River Trail has been open for 64 days this year, almost beating the record of 75.