The record-high temperatures in Edmonton over the last week melting the record dumps of snow the city saw in December has made some winter city activities a little trickier. Jill Roszell with Activate Arts Alberta is heading up the Chiseled Exhibition, where 10 carvers from across Canada will transform 300-pound blocks of ice into sculptures at the Ice District plaza this weekend. Despite a high of 8 C in the Saturday forecast, Roszell said such large amounts of ice are more resilient than one might think. “They have a bit of thermal mass to help them stay cold, and the carvers know how to build the ice sculptures in a way that even a little bit of melt will help the design,” she said. “This isn’t the first time we’ve had to deal with above-zero temperatures and building ice.” Safety considerations as the melt continues The warmth is also causing water to pool up in areas of the city, prompting Epcor to remind Edmontonians they can help reduce flooding risk by breaking up ice near stormwater drains. Angus Grant, the water services senior manager, said the utility group has responded to 33 calls related to flooding or pooling water since Jan. 9. “We have 64,000 catch basins across the City of Edmonton, which is a big number. But snow melt, it’s not new to Edmontonians,” he said in an interview Thursday. “So any bit of help we can get to clear … not only helps Epcor, but helps their community.” Crews can be called to clear stubborn manholes and catch basins at 780-412-4500. He also reminded people to stay away from stormwater ponds and management facilities. “It isn’t meant to be a recreational area, as water comes into and out of facilities … First and foremost, stay off the ice. It’s not that pond back at home.” To that point, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) deputy chief of operations Jamie Amiel said the melting of such large amounts of snow can make areas of the city, especially the River Valley, “unpredictable and unsafe.” “Even the banks of the river and the shore ice of the river, they’re very unstable,” he said on Thursday. He said EFRS has already had 37 river rescue calls since the beginning of winter. Last year, that number was 67, leading Amiel to believe the city is on track to match last year’s total. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti
