Very cold temperatures and heavy snowfalls have delayed the creation of the first skating trail on the Hay River.
"Extreme cold weather has limited the maintenance team's ability to operate machinery outside, so progress has been limited on the river ice track," said Jim Darby, the recreation director with the Town of Hay River, at council's meeting on Jan. 9.
And now, it's possible that the anticipated turnover to the town of the new Rec Centre at the end of January may also affect whether or not the skating trail is created.
Mayor Brad Mapes said late last week that, once the weather gets back to where it's manageable, town employees will probably be back out on the river working on the skating trail.
However, he noted that town manpower will also be dedicated to the new Rec Centre to get it open as quickly as possible.
"So there could be a possibility that outside projects might be delayed because of getting the Rec Centre open, especially with the upcoming Arctic Winter Games," said Mapes, referring to the international sporting event in March in Hay River and Fort Smith.
The mayor said the town has to have priorities, and the opening of the Rec Centre is one of them.
"Once we get occupancy on the Rec Centre, it's going to be full-fledged to get everything going in the Rec Centre," he said. "So other projects might get stalled or delayed, or taken for next year, and the skating trail could be a possibility."
Work on the skating trail began in early December.
It was to stretch over a kilometre-and-a-half along the town side of the river from the main ice crossing to the Hay River Reserve to below Diamond Jenness Secondary School.
The original opening date was set for sometime around New Year's Eve.
The skating trail was proposed to get community residents outdoors and as a good winter activity for visitors to the Arctic Winter Games.
Mapes pitched the idea of a skating trail to town council earlier in the fall, explaining it was partially inspired by the famed Rideau Canal skating rink in Ottawa.