As people look for ways to keep busy outdoors through the winter months, the city of London is reminding residents that stormwater ponds are not the place to do so.
Officials stress the man-made bodies of water are not safe for skating, hockey, sledding or any form of recreational activity because the ice that forms in the winter is “unstable and dangerous.”
A news release from the city says there are more than 50 of these ponds in London, typically found in new subdivisions. These bodies of water also have a headwall, which is a concrete structure with a large pipe at one edge of the pond.
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Due to the continuous flow of water in these ponds, city officials say the depth of the ice varies across the pond’s surface.
“While ice may appear thick in some areas, other areas may have little to no ice. Many ponds collect road runoff that may contain salt, which lowers the freezing temperature of the water,” city officials said.
Officials say while the stormwater management ponds are unsafe for winter recreation, they are safe to visit and walk around, as long as residents stay off the ice.
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