Rain-ravaged Ice Palace must be demolished
By CHRIS KNIGHT, Enterprise Senior Staff WriterArticle Photos
SARANAC LAKE - A January thaw that hit its peak on Monday with steady rain and 50 degree temperatures has forced the Winter Carnival Ice Palace committee to tear down what they've built so far.
Once the cold weather returns, however, volunteers are hoping to build a smaller version of the Palace before the Feb. 5 start of Winter Carnival.
Aided by inmate crews from the state's Moriah Shock Correctional Facility, volunteers started building this year's Ice Palace last Thursday. After four days of work, more than 10 rows of ice blocks pulled from Pontiac Bay in Lake Flower had been placed to form the outside walls of the Palace.
As the rain poured down on Monday, large holes could be seen between the rows of blocks, making the most important part of the structure, its base, unsafe. Yellow tape was put around the site to keep onlookers at a safe distance.
Dean Baker, chairman of the Ice Palace committee, said what's been built so far will have to be taken down.
"I looked at this morning, and it was pretty bad," Baker said Monday afternoon. "It's only gotten worse since then."
The committee is now planning to build a smaller version of the Ice Palace, but it will be at least another day before volunteers can even get back onto Pontiac Bay to cut more ice blocks, Baker said.
"There's a big puddle of water there now," he said. "We've got to let everything firm up before we can even go near it. But it looks like we're going to have to downsize."
Temperatures are expected to return to the 20s and 30s today and Wednesday, with scattered snow showers in the forecast, according to the National Weather Service in Burlington. Even colder weather is expected by the end of the week. Friday's high temperature is forecasted to be around 10 above.
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CleanUpLP
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01-26-10 12:22 PM
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Angie- it's easy to Monday morning quarterback isn't it?
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mrsangie
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01-26-10 9:10 AM
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The sad part is that rain and warm temps were in the forcast BEFORE they even stated the castle. I feel for all the people that put in time helping. Whoever made the call to start the castle made a BAD choice.
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Fitzgerald
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01-25-10 8:27 PM
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it's not the fist time, probably not the last either.
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poolman137
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01-25-10 7:59 PM
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OMG! What a shame....... So much has gone into it ...... Mother nature is not very nice! Ive always admired the Winter Carnival since I can remember it..... The Ice palace is the best attraction.........
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concerned
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01-25-10 7:47 PM
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hopefully the weather will get cold and it will go up again..it really does draw tourists!!!!!!!!!!!!! and locals love it too!!!
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TruLiberShultz
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01-25-10 7:08 PM
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No problem. This will inspire them further. This will get done.
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CleanUpLP
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01-25-10 6:55 PM
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Those volunteers are awesome. Thank you all!
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JoelADK
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01-25-10 6:06 PM
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That is sad. It has been such a joy spending time at the ice castle every year with our daughter. She watched how people were working together over the weekend and we were able to explain to her how all of those people were volunteers. She was very impressed and hopes she can help when she gets bigger, like she volunteers at the Tin Man here in beautiful Tupper Lake. Hope winter shows up again soon. Happy Winter...
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