Officials are offering water safety advice after a woman fell into Speed River and was rescued downstream.
Guelph Police say as the weather warms up and more rain comes, that water levels rise and with it the risk for public safety.
“We encourage people to steer clear of water ways if you’re alone or in evening hours with low visibility,” said Cnst. Kristen Southgate of Guelph Police.
Southgate was one of the officers who rescued the woman from the river on Saturday.
“It was waist height and moving quickly,” she said. “We were all holding on to each other to make sure one of us didn’t go as well.
“We got her out safely. That’s the main thing. She’s in good care now.”
The woman in her thirties fell from Allen’s Bridge in the area of Woolwich and MacDonnell Streets. She was rescued about 300 metres downstream at Neeve and Wellington Streets.
The cause of the fall is still under investigation, but residents in the area say it’s common for the nearby train tracks to be used as a shortcut.
“We were surprised but not shocked,” said Deb Moffatt. “It’s happened quite a few times in the last year and a half.”
Construction from a pedestrian bridge across the river is slated to begin in 2020.
The Guelph Fire Department says anyone who finds themselves in the river should attempt to get to shore as safely and quickly as possible and find something to anchor onto.
