Manitoba snow maze told to stay closed for second straight week

For the second week in a row, the world’s largest snow maze has been told to stay closed by the provincial government.

The winter version of “A Maze in Corn” located in St. Adolphe, Man., has been ready to open its doors since Jan. 30.

“We’ve worked hard to make this place safe for Manitobans and we’re not getting acknowledged that it’s as safe as it is,” said the attraction’s co-owner and designer Clint Masse.

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The maze has been enlarged by 90 per cent to account for COVID-19 measures.

The walls are spaced out by eight feet this season, whereas in previous years the pathways were made to be six-feet wide.

“You can pass people at eight-foot intervals with a mask on or you can go to some of the public places that are four-foot sidewalks and they don’t have masks,” Masse said.

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“I can’t understand that we’re not safer than some other options.”

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Other winter activities such as skiing, tobogganing and skating were given the green light to resume in the province’s latest set of public health regulations.

“In our orders, we didn’t specifically address snow mazes. You could imagine how long our orders are if we address every potential one-off,” Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer Brent Roussin said during a news conference Friday afternoon.

“As we open up to outdoor recreation, then things like that will be allowed to occur,” he continued.

Masse said over $60,000 has been put into this year’s new and improved maze.

The new edition of “A Maze in Corn” features four snow-sheltered structures including a movie theatre and diamond room filled with dozens of carefully crafted ice sculptures.

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Once the maze opens its doors, capacity will be set at 250 people with specific time slots available for booking.

“I just think they don’t understand what we’re doing here,” Masse said.

Masse encouraged Manitobans to fill out the latest Engage MB survey, which asks for public opinion on the next set of public health orders expected to be released within the next week.

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