Ice bikes now available Friday nights, Saturdays at Laurier Park

Edmonton introduces ice bikes The city is hoping people will get outside this winter and try ice bikes.

It's n-ice to have a new winter biking activity in Edmonton.

The city on Friday introduced ice bikes to the new skating surface at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park.

A part of Edmonton's ongoing winter-city strategy, the eight ice bikes available for free public use on Friday evenings and on Saturdays come in one-, two- and four-seat configurations.

The bikes use mini-skis in place of the front wheels, allowing people to use them on the ice.

Isla Tanaka, Edmonton's winter city planner, said introducing the bikes increases skating opportunities for residents, which is one of the actions promoted by the strategy.

"There are a lot of Edmontonians who cannot skate. We got some really great ice surfaces, but for whatever reason, newcomers who come as adults, some of them don't learn to skate, some people who have limited mobility can't skate, but the ice bikes give them an opportunity to get out on the ice that they otherwise wouldn't have," Tanaka told reporters on Friday at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park.

Tanaka said a couple of other Canadian cities, including Calgary, and some U.S. cities provide ice bikes for recreational use.

Edmonton's ice-bike project cost $50,000, including costs for the bikes, a trailer for storage and lights.

Groups interested in renting ice bikes can inquire with the city.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Dave Mitchell