The frozen Campus Lake near Thompson Point proved to be too tempting to resist for a SIUC student and his two sons, who played on the frozen body of water Monday. But campus police had a message for the student and others:Keep off the ice!

The boys were bored and wanted something to do, Rob McKinnon said.

McKinnon, 27, an aviation management student from Waukesha, Wis., and his two sons walked onto the lake and were soon asked to leave by an SIU police officer.

Advertisement

Campus police were alerted to the incident when the trio generated attention from concerned bystanders who thought it was a dangerous situation, police said.

McKinnon said he allowed his sons on the ice after he judged the thickness.

I tested it by looking at it, he said. I’ve been around frozen lakes many times, and I knew what I was doing.

The officer asked McKinnon to leave after SIUC Recreation Center authorities said the ice was not thick enough, Sgt. Frank Eovaldi said.

We are responsible for enforcing the Rec Center rules, Eovaldi said. It was a dangerous situation because of the weather change and rising temperatures.

The Rec Center is responsible for the beach area and boat dock, Bill McMinn, Rec Center director, said.

The ice was not thick enough to walk on, McMinn said. According to Red Cross standards, the ice should be 5 1/2 – 6 inches thick. If it doesn’t reach that thickness and maintain it for four or five days, it’s not safe.

Advertisement*

McMinn said the ice thickness is checked daily. Even when the lake attains that thickness, it usually starts to thaw and is unsafe.

It has been thick enough to walk on only three or four times in the past 15 years, McMinn said.

McKinnon complied with the officer’s request, but he said he does not agree with the Rec Center policy.

I’m a student here, and I don’t see why I can’t walk across the lake, he said.

To warn other people who may be tempted to venture onto the lake, McMinn said signs will be posted around the lake today to indicate it is unsafe to walk on the ice.

We encourage people to use common sense, McMinn said. We want to provide a high level of care. The last thing we want is someone to fall through the ice.