City of Calgary making safety improvements at 15 storm ponds

The City of Calgary says more than a dozen stormwater retention ponds are set to receive safety improvements starting this month.

“Through a review of ponds across The City, these locations were identified as the highest priority for safety enhancements,” the City of Calgary said in a news release Thursday.

Currently, storm ponds in Calgary are marked by signage prohibiting entry into the water.

But some ponds in the city have been the site of tragedies, including earlier this summer when a young girl lost her life in the southeast community of Legacy.

The Legacy Small Pond, where seven-year-old Drihanna Matamona drowned, is one of the properties slated for improvements.

The City of Calgary says the enhancements will include new interpretive signage to increase awareness of risks and creating natural dense barriers with the installation of thorny vegetation.

“Permanent partial fencing and temporary seasonal fencing will also aid in creating a physical barrier to public access,” the city says.

Crews will also continue assessing other ponds to determine which ones could be next in line for safety improvements.