City to host pond safety meetings with Dundonald parents in wake of 5-year-old's death

The City of Saskatoon plans to hold meetings with parents in the Dundonald neighbourhood next week to talk about improving safety at a pond where a boy who died was found last year, according to Saskatoon Public Schools division.

The March 6 and 7 meetings come nearly six months after five-year-old Ahmedsadiq Elmmi, a kindergarten student at École Dundonald School, died after being found at the pond in nearby Dundonald Park.

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"The first is a meeting for Dundonald School parents and guardians and the second meeting is for the Dundonald community," said Veronica Baker, a spokesperson for Saskatoon Public Schools. "The meeting is to review the Storm Pond Safety Review Committee's recommendations on improving pond safety."

According to a pamphlet delivered to people's mailboxes on Friday, "options to enhance safety" include "barriers", signs, maintenance, education and awareness, and "future planning, design and construction." 

"The safety review incorporated evaluations by three multidisciplinary task teams, on-site pond inspections and consideration of the storm water pond safety reports from other jurisdictions," according to the pamphlet.

The school board has been invited to the meetings, Baker said. "It's the city's meeting and the city's recommendations," she added.

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Days after Elmmi's death, Angela Gardiner, the city's acting general manager of transportation and utilities, said staff had started a comprehensive review of Saskatoon's storm ponds.

The review covered "the infrastructure, the design and our policies for maintenance — everything pertaining to the storm ponds — to make sure they are safe for all users and all residents in Saskatoon," she said.

Findings to be shared with family

Earlier on Friday, Saskatoon Public Schools confirmed it has finished its internal investigation into the death of a 5-year-old student who was found in a pond last September near École Dundonald School.

"The family is waiting to get answers," the Saskatoon Open Door Society said in a statement two days later.

Baker said that while the division's investigation is complete, a report hasn't been finalized.

"We don't have a timeline on this. The priority is to share the report with the family before anything is released publicly," she said.

The school board's next public meeting is scheduled for March 13.

3 investigations launched

The board's investigation was one of three probes announced in the wake of Elmmi's death.

The Office of the Chief Coroner and Saskatchewan's Advocate for Children and Youth, Corey O' Soup, also launched their own investigations.

• Sask. child advocate to investigate death of Saskatoon kindergarten student

The Ministry of Justice said Friday the coroner's investigation remains ongoing.

CBC News has reached out O'Soup's office for an update.

Saskatoon Police Service said the death was not suspicious.