The Nestaweya River Trail has been closed for the season. (THE FORKS / HANDOUT)
WINNIPEG — The Nestaweya River Trail has closed for the season just days before the official start of spring.
The trail closed on Tuesday after 70 days of winter fun — making March 15 the latest the skating trail has ever been open.
“It is incredible that our climate provides us the backdrop to this seasonal public space that is so well used and well loved,” said Sara Stasiuk, CEO, The Forks North Portage.
“We are a winter city, we are a river city, and we love seeing people embrace that.”
Officials with The Forks say the trail this year stretched from Churchill Drive to the Hugo Docks for a total of six kilometres. The trail was cut short on February 20 when the Assiniboine River portion was closed after water released from the Shellmouth Dam started coming up along the banks and affecting trail conditions.
The earliest the river trail has ever closed was February 18th in 2017, with a total of only 33 days on the trail that season.
The Forks is no longer monitoring or maintaining any portions of the ice and the public is advised to stay off the rivers.
Weather permitting, all on-land skating trails in Arctic Glacier Winter Park will remain open.
?The Nestaweya River Trail presented by @wpgfdn is officially CLOSED for the season as of 9AM Mar. 16th!
?A huge thank you to all who enjoyed the trail this season, to the crew who monitored & maintained it, and of course to The Winnipeg Foundation! pic.twitter.com/H5vztsl2LV
— The Forks (@TheForks) March 16, 2022
