A frozen fortress in Edmonton’s river valley may have met its match.
The ice castle in Hawrelak Park has begun to melt.
Due to unseasonably warm weather and rain this past weekend, the maze of frozen caves and waterfalls was closed on Sunday and remained off limits during Family Day.
It’s unclear when, or if, it will reopen.
In a statement posted to their Facebook page, organizers with Ice Castles LLC said they will watch the weather closely in the next few days to determine if they’re able to reopen this season.
People who purchased tickets for cancelled dates will be provided more information via email.
The 30,000-tonne “ice wonderland,” which covers more than two acres of parkland, was crafted entirely by hand over the course of several weeks.
The ice castle was built in partnership with the city as part of the Silver Skate Festival.
Organizers had hoped the winter spectacle would remain safely frozen until the end of March.
Edmonton ice castle under construction1:20