Manitoba

Warming hut at The Forks pulled out of the river after water seeped inside

A crack in the ice of the river that was beneath one of Winnipeg's warming huts is being filled after it let water seep through the structure.

The Hole Idea warming hut weighs more than others

RAW: Warming hut pulled from the Red River

9 years ago
Duration 0:22
One of Winnipeg's warming huts had to be rescued from sinking into the Red River. A crack developed in the area, which allowed water to come up, submerging portions of the hut.

One of warming huts at the Forks had to be pulled out of the water near where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet Friday afternoon after a crack formed in the ice and water seeped inside.

Now staff at the Forks is filling the crack that was under the warming hut,

"So, the water was sort of pooling on top of the surface [of the ice] and collecting around the [warming hut] and it gave the appearance that it was sinking," said Chelsea Thomson, spokesperson for The Forks.

The Hole Idea sunk into a hole in the ice on Friday. (Courtesy Jean-Paul Fradette)

The hut, which is called The Hole Idea and designed by Toronto architecture firm Weiss Architecture & Urbanism, was moved to another area, Thomson said.

Tow trucks were brought down to the ice and chains were attached to the corrugated metal tube, which made its debut along the skating trail in 2015.

Thomson also said the hut — which is designed to be covered in snow — weighs more than other huts, which may have contributed to the crack in the ice.
The Hole Idea is a warming hut by Weiss Architecture & Urbanism of Toronto. (warminghuts.com)

David Pancoe with The Forks Renewal Corporation agrees with Thompson that the hut's weight may have played a factor.

"In hindsight ... we shouldn't have put it here because this is an area that's a little more susceptible to this type of thing happening," Pancoe said.

Thomson said all activities, including the Iron Man Outdoor Curling Bonspiel, are still on at The Forks on Saturday and Sunday.

The area has been tested and the ice is still thick enough, she said.