From Birkie organizers to bike couriers, extreme cold forcing people to adapt
CBC News | Posted: February 5, 2019 2:18 AM | Last Updated: February 5, 2019
Annual ski festival makes schedule changes as Edmonton remains stuck deep freeze
It's not a question of if the cold snap will arrive in Edmonton. It's just a matter of when.
This year, it rolled in with the turning of the calendar page. On Thursday, Edmonton was basking in above-zero temperatures, on Friday, Feb. 1, the high was –14 C, then things kept going downhill with the deep freeze that settled in on the weekend and is expected to last until Monday.
Kyle Brittain of The Weather Network says being outside in this extremely cold weather can lead to hypothermia and frostbite if you're not careful.
- It wasn't exactly business as usual Monday in the coldest place in Alberta
- Edmonton, much of Alberta start the week in grips of deep freeze
- Edmonton braces for weekend deep freeze
"When we see wind chills into the –40 C and even colder, you can just imagine how quickly it takes for exposed skin to freeze," Brittain told CBC News Network on Monday.
'Tons of layers'
But for some, working outside — even in dangerously cold temperatures — is just a fact of life in Edmonton.
Bike courier Josh Marcellin says working outside comes with the territory and that means making sure he's ready, no matter how bad it gets.
"I'm wearing a ton of layers right now," said Marcellin who is working his fourth winter delivering packages on his bike in downtown Edmonton.
"Merino wool, wool sweater, down jacket, everything's windproof and waterproof, Goretex, and yeah, you've just got to dress for it," he said covering his face as he got ready for another delivery.
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Marcellin says he takes time to warm up inside building lobbies — and, he has made good contacts with the many coffee shops throughout downtown.
'Electrical cords will snap'
The cold is nothing new for ice carver Steve Buzak, who has been chipping away at blocks of ice for over 18 years.
"It's almost cold enough where our electrical cords will snap for our power tools," said Buzak who was taking part in an ice carving competition all day Monday outside the Enbridge building on Rice Howard Way. "The ice is like concrete, very brittle so –6 C to –11 C is perfect. But this is cold!" said Buzak.
To survive the chill, he added a layer of about eight warming packets, tucked into his boots, gloves and jacket.
- 440 collisions reported over deep freeze weekend in Edmonton
- Wind chills of -45 mean extreme cold warnings for almost all of Alberta
New safety measures at Birkie
This cold snap forced an emergency meeting for organizers of the annual Canadian Birkie Ski Festival, which will be held this weekend at the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, about 45 kilometres east of Edmonton.
An estimated 1,000 skiers from across North America are expected to take part in the 30th annual staging of the cross-country ski extravaganza.
"Nobody wanted to cancel, not one board member wanted to cancel," said Dave Cooper, president of the annual race.
"This has been a fantastic year of skiing, I mean, heavens, this is a real winter we're having. This is great, except it's too cold. You can't please everybody," Cooper chuckled.
To make the race safer, organizers have moved back the start time by one hour to 11 a.m. — and possibly even 11:30 a.m., depending on how the weather is on Saturday.
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The opening ceremonies will be held inside the Red Barn at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. Then skiers will get themselves down to the lake, ski across the timing mat and begin their race.
For the safety reasons including both skiers and volunteers, the "iconic" 55-kilometre course will be shortened to 40 kilometres. The revised course will avoid the Blackfoot and Islet loops.
The events for children will not take place on Saturday and are instead being moved to Birkie Sunday in Edmonton, which is part of the Silver Skate Festival. It is likely that event will move to the following Sunday —- Feb. 17 —- at Hawrelak Park.
Updates will be posted on the Birkie website and on its social media sites leading up to this weekend's race.