Rescue of three boys from Cambridge pond prompts safety plea from officials

The Waterloo Regional Police Service has issued a public plea after three 13-year-old boys fell through the ice at a Cambridge pond on Tuesday.

"You never really know exactly where the edges are and just how thick the ice may be, so we encourage people to stay away from the ice," advised Const. Chris Iden, with the Waterloo Regional Police Service.

Witnesses called emergency responders to Green Vista Drive and Saginaw Parkway around 3:30 p.m.

"They made great efforts to assist the young ones on the pond," Iden said. "The children were treated for hypothermia, just for preventative and precautionary measures, but there were no reports of any physical injuries."

A bystander told CTV News the area was packed with emergency personnel, including several police cruisers, ambulances and fire trucks. Cambridge Fire confirmed their water rescue boat was bought in but not deployed.

"Please stay away from all storm ponds and bodies of water that appear to be frozen but may not be able to support additional weight," a statement read from the fire service. "No storm pond ice water is safe and, although water may appear to be frozen, it may not be safe to walk on."

The pond at Green Vista Drive and Saginaw Parkway in Cambridge on Dec. 4, 2024. (Hannah Schmidt/CTV News)

Water safety

The Lifesaving Society of Ontario emphasizes that ice is never entirely predictable – especially with our fluctuating winter temperatures.

"Thickness is very important, but also the quality of the ice," explained Stephanie Bakalar, a senior communications officer with the Lifesaving Society of Ontario. "You actually need to test the ice with something called an auger, [which cuts] a hole through the ice and then you can actually see how many inches of ice do I have here."

According to the organization, approximately 30 to 35 per cent of drownings happen between October and April. Many are the result of unexpected falls into the water.

"When there's a lot of melting and thawing throughout the season, ice becomes what we refer to as dirty,” Bakalar said. “This means that the ice isn't stable and is a very unpredictable surface." She also explained what exactly could happen and what you should do if you happen to fall into freezing water.

"Typically, when someone falls into very cold water, their body has what we call a gasp reflex. Your body actually goes into a bit of a cold-water shock and it's very difficult for you to breathe. If you fall in through the water unexpectedly, you need to be aware of this and try to coax your body into taking some breaths,” Bakalar advised. "To get out of ice that you've fallen on, you want to shimmy on your stomach, so you're lying flat on your stomach, and you're going to try and put your arms up on the ice and kick your feet to slide across the ice. Think of a penguin or a polar bear or something like that. You never want to be trying to stand up or pushing the ice down under your weight. [You want to be] spreading out your weight and sliding across it.”

Bakalar said this latest incident should serve as a reminder to think twice before stepping out on any icy waterway.

"I can tell you that at this time of year, with the weather that we've had, you're not looking at frozen hard ice probably anywhere. We really need to be cautious, not only of the ice, but of cold water in general."