Edmonton Embraces the Cold by Turning Park Paths Into Frozen Skating Trails
NEARLY EVERY MORNING DURING THE winter months, a truck winds its way past snowbanks in Edmonton, Alberta. It looks like the salt-spewing variety, but it’s actually the exact opposite. It has a tank full of water, and its goal is to make the paths more slippery.
To gear up for the season, the vehicle dumps between 60 and 80 truckfuls of water—enough to flood park trails and turn them into winding skating paths speckled with colorful light installations come nightfall. The result is ice up to 12 inches thick—and something akin to a giant, winding backyard ice rink for the entire city.