Winnipeg father carves ice castle in honour of daughter’s birthday
A Winnipeg father’s icy creation in honour of his daughter’s birthday is bringing a bit of winter wonder to his neighbourhood.
Brent St. John carved a castle out of ice to celebrate his daughter Abigail’s third birthday.
The frosty fortress is a fitting birthday gift.
“My daughter is three years old now. She was born Feb. 2, 2020,” St. John told CTV News Winnipeg in an interview.
“That’s the year I started ice carving. So every year, she's going to get ice sculptures.”
St. John started carving soon after he moved to Winnipeg and realized his new prairie home could flatline his favourite hobby – snowboarding.
“I found out there was no mountains here, but your temperatures stay below zero. I needed a new hobby and ice carving came to be,” he said.
St. John always had natural artistic talent, but never an outlet to express it. His new home presented plenty of blank, snowy canvasses on which to hone his skills.
As the snow melted away, and his love of the art form grew alongside his daughter, St. John found new mediums to practice. In the warmer months, he started etching on glass, and also dabbled in wood carving.
When the snow returned at the beginning of the winter of 2022, St. John started making the ice blocks at his Transcona home that would eventually form the castle.
He finished the project in time for Abigail’s birthday, but is still adding some detail work, like a carving of a particularly regal Peppa Pig.
It’s a birthday tradition he hopes to continue for years to come.
“This year is the castle. Next year is going to be something completely different, I’m sure."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.