The Manitoba government will install fences and signs to restrict access to a popular natural attraction in Whiteshell Provincial Park, where two brothers drowned this month.
Environment Minister Mike Moyes announced the safety measures to the Sturgeon Falls Trail in a news release Tuesday.
On July 19, Maximo Au Ramirez, 10, and his brother, Aaron Au Ramirez, 13, disappeared into the rapidly moving water and their bodies were recovered days later. The site has claimed other lives in recent years.
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Fencing and signs will be installed on the Sturgeon Falls Trail after two boys drowned in the area earlier this month.
“As a father myself, my heart goes out to the family of the two boys who tragically lost their lives, and also to the families who have lost a loved one to drowning at this site,” Moyes said.
The falls are located on a narrow section of water between Nutimik and Numao lakes on the Winnipeg River system.
The province closed the trail and launched a safety review after the boys drowned.
The changes will include fencing that prohibits access to slippery rocks where injuries are more likely to occur.
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Signage at the site will be updated to provide further warnings about hidden dangers, including rocks, strong currents and a steep drop-off, the release said.
The province also plans to build fenced viewing areas.
“These safety measures will help ensure no other family has to suffer a tragic loss,” Moyes said. “We’re also reviewing whether additional safety measures are required in other locations in provincial parks to ensure Manitobans can safely enjoy our parks and outdoor spaces.”
The trail will remain closed until the improvements are completed.
tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca
Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press’s city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic’s creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.
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