'Thick enough to skate on': Saskatoon residents making the most of icy conditions
The warmer than usual winter weather has made for treacherous conditions on roads and sidewalks, but leave it to those in Saskatchewan to make the most of it.
Saying that the streets are like a skating rink is not just a cliché this week — Shelley Bridgman took it literally.
“So I got home from work and I just looked at our street, and thought, this is thick enough to skate on,” she told CTV News.
Bridgman used to be a figure skater so she felt she could handle the ice safely.
“I said to my daughters, ‘Should we try it out?’ and they said yes, and we went out and there was no issues at all. It was definitely thick enough to figure skate on,” she says.
Neighbours came out to watch the show, like Adrian Pearce who lives across the street.
“What surprised me was the thickness of the ice that she could actually do it without hurting herself or wrecking her skates,” Pearce said.
He admits he wasn’t surprised by the free skating show — has he seen this before?
“No never, no, no, I mean it’s crazy right?”
That’s what some passersby thought too.
“I had a few people stop by walking and stopping their trucks. ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this.’ So it definitely caused a ruckus in the neighbourhood,” Bridgman said.
Shelley Bridgman was captured on video figure skating on an ice-covered residential street. (Carla Shynkaruk / CTV News)
There were displays of skating in the streets on social media too.
A post from the town of Allan showed similar icy conditions creating a makeshift skating rink.
The City of Saskatoon told CTV News that in the neighbourhoods where crews do tackle residential streets they’ll focus on curves and inclines.
“All resources will be used, and the expectation is to have high priority locations and sections on the majority of residential streets receive an application of de-icing material,” said Goran Saric, director of roadways.
“Snow and ice management on priority streets is included in the city’s budget.”
The city doesn’t recommend skating on streets for safety reasons.
“Skating in the streets is not what a public road is for and can be dangerous with traffic not being able to a full stop on slippery streets; there are various options in the community for safe skating,” the city said.
Bridgman says she does get out to the rinks to skate, but this rare opportunity was too good to pass up.
“This was perfect because it was right in front of our house.”
With mild temperatures expected to continue, does she plan to do it again?
“Probably not, one time was kind of like check that box off and we’re good.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976871.1721873052!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
DEVELOPING Jasper updates: Wildfire reaches Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park has reached the townsite.
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.