REGINA -- The freezing cold weather has been helpful for a construction project underway at the RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina.

A giant igloo is going up by the centre’s main entrance. Once complete, it will be fully enclosed, and measure six metres wide.

Funding for the igloo came from the City of Regina Winter Activities Grant Program. Large bread pans are used to freeze ice blocks, which are then ‘glued’ in place using slushy snow. The giant igloo will serve as a teaching tool, helping families learn about Northern cultures and the RCMP.

igloo

“It was themed about outdoor activities that the RCMP would be involved in, not only in Southern Saskatchewan, but a lot of our Northern communities across Canada,” Dan Toppings, Executive Director of the RCMP Heritage Centre said. “The igloo is part of the Inuit culture, so we’ll be teaching kids and families a little about that while they’re here at the Centre as well.”

The RCMP Heritage Centre is offering free admission for the first two weeks of February with indoor and outdoor activities. The centre is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

After dark, the igloo illuminated from the inside.