After 72 days of frozen fun enjoyed by an estimated 220,000 people, a staple of Winnipeg winters is now closed for the season.
The Forks announced Monday that the Nestaweya River Trail had closed, three days shy of the record-length season set in 2019.
“As Winnipeg’s meeting place we’re delighted to see so many folks using and loving this seasonal public amenity as they embrace winter,” said Forks North Portage Partnership CEO Sara Stasiuk in a statement.
“Thank you to everyone who ventured onto the trail this season, including the hard-working river trail team who monitored and maintained the walking, skating, and skiing paths.”
According to statistics from The Forks, more than three million litres of water was pumped from the river to flood the trail, and an ice-resurfacing machine covered a whopping 1,185 kilometres over the course of the season to maintain the skating surface.
Winnipeggers are being cautioned to stay off the ice on the rivers, which are no longer being monitored or maintained by Forks staff.