Due to safety, Meewasin has closed all rural river access sites for the winter. That includes the Fred Heal Canoe Launch, the Poplar Bluffs Canoe Launch and Paradise Beach. The closures are due to hazards caused by heavy snowfall and partial freezing of the river. A news release from the Meewasin Valley Authority says along the river valley, there are many areas of unstable ice shelves that are hard to distinguish from a higher view. The MVA recommends that visitors stay on established and maintained trails away from the edge of the river.