BRANDON, MB – The warmer temperatures means the spring melt is in progress and The City of Brandon is urging people to stay off and away from the Assiniboine River.

Thin ice and pockets of open water are beginning to form on the river and other Brandon waterways, including drainage ditches, culverts, and retention ponds. As the temperatures rise and the melt progresses, ice surfaces become increasingly thin and fragile, and dangerous.

The City said, particular attention should be paid by parents of young children, whose kids may still be learning about the dangers of open waterways, or by recreational vehicle users who traditionally access the river surface during the winter months.

The City also cautions anyone who frequents the Assiniboine River Corridor area to exercise their animals to use extreme caution when walking close to the river and keep a close eye on their pet at all times.

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