With a warmer-than-normal start to the season, Cochrane residents are being reminded to stay away from dangerous ice conditions. 

Cochrane fire chief Shawn Polley says due to unseasonably warm weather, ice on open bodies of water has not been able to freeze thoroughly, making it unsafe for people and animals.

"We want especially for folks to stay off the storm water retention ponds. They're really an unstable ice surface and as the water comes in and then flows out, they create an air gap and a space, so that creates that unstable surface." 

He says storm ponds are unlike a pond like Mitford Pond which has a consistent water level.

Polley urges residents to keep their pets off ice surfaces. 

"We often have an ice shelf that creates a space that's unsafe where you have dogs or humans out venturing out onto the river or the riverbanks or onto the river itself, is just again that really unstable platform. With the rapid flow of water that the Bow River has, you can end up in a really dangerous situation."

Polley stresses if you do see someone on an ice surface when they shouldn't be, don't hesitate to call 911. 

"It's not a burden on the fire service to come out and check or have that opportunity to reach out to the citizen that you see walking out on the ice, especially on the storm water collection ponds, that is an emergency. We want to get out there quickly, we have trained staff that can come and assess the situation. We don't want people to go out on the ice after people, that's definitely not what we're looking for."  

There are two approved outdoor skating areas in Cochrane, Mitford Pond and Tim Bannister Memorial Rink, however they are not yet open for the season. 

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