Are Saskatoon's ponds ready to skate yet?

The Saskatoon Fire Department is testing ice thickness at the city’s storm water retention ponds to see if they’re safe to skate.

Ice has to reach a thickness of eight inches to be considered safe for recreational activities like skating, broomball and hockey.

Once it’s safe, firefighters will post signage at the pond saying “Skating Permitted.”

The fire department is asking Saskatoon residents to stay off the storm ponds until they see those signs go up.

Because of the sporadic warm and cool weather cycles, ice conditions are constantly changing, the fire department says.

“Community members are advised to always exercise an elevated level of caution when around any large body of water. Keep a close watch on children and pets when visiting trails, parks, or off-leash areas that may run adjacent to a storm water retention pond.”

Only some storm ponds are designated for recreational use. You can find a list of those ponds online.

If you don’t live near one of those designated ponds, you can always check out the Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink, located along the river in Kiwanis Park North.

A family skating party at the Cameco Meewasin skating rink from noon to 4 p.m. is one of the events planned for Family Day.

The opening of the public outdoor rink’s opening was delayed because of the unseasonably warm weather, but Meewasin says it opened to the public at noon on Wednesday.

The rink will be open Wednesday to Sunday, from noon to 8 p.m.

Admission is free, and while there are a few skates on site available to borrow, they recommend you bring your own.