Mother with serious injury calls for changes to make sledding safer

Winnipeg mother speaks out after sledding injury A Winnipeg mother is calling for more safety measures following a serious sledding injury that left her with a gash on her head.

A Winnipeg mother wants to see changes at The Forks to make sledding safer following a crash that sent her to hospital.

The woman says she took a turbulent trip down on a hill Jan. 8 and ended up with a serious gash on her head.

Jessica Vandal doesn't know exactly how, but said somehow she picked up speed, veered off course and went into trees at the bottom of the hill. The crash left her disoriented and bloodied.

She was with her boyfriend and children at the time, who she said are all having difficulty dealing with the incident.

“Sad of for my kids who are scared …scared to sled," said an emotional Vandal.

She said she received about 60 stitches, has a concussion, and has been off work to recuperate.

Wants trees moved or taken out

Vandal keeps thinking how lucky she is to have walked away from the crash and hopes her close call can protect someone else.

Vandal said there is no time to waste, and the solution to make the hill safe is for The Forks to take out or move the trees at the bottom of the hill.

She emailed The Forks on Friday.

"To prevent anybody from going into them. My sled wasn't directed at the tree. It was a freak accident,” she said.

“There's lots of kids who hang out there unsupervised, and kids are kids, they don't always think.”

The Forks investigating

The Forks said it’s heard of people getting a twisted ankle or minor scrapes and bruises, but nothing this severe.

It said the safety of visitors is extremely important and a few days after the incident it increased snow barriers by the trees.

It also said anytime there is an incident it reviews the site, procedures and operations, and will make further changes if necessary.

The Forks said in past years it used to put in snow bumps on hills for snowboarders but has redirected that money to lighting to make area more family friendly.