Edmonton-area ski hills shut down for the season in response to coronavirus

Three ski hills in the Edmonton region have shut down for the season early in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The announcements to close on Sunday came from from Rabbit Hill, Snow Valley and Sunridge ski resorts.

Rabbit Hill, located southwest of Edmonton near Devon, posted the announcement on its website, saying the decision was made after the City of Edmonton decided to shut down all rec centres and attractions.

“We feel this is the responsible decision for both our guest and our staff,” Rabbit Hill said in a statement.

Snow Valley, located off Whitemud Drive in south Edmonton, posted an update Sunday where it announced it would also be shutting down for the season.

It also said it was making the decision based on the city’s closures.

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Sunridge in northeast Edmonton had announced its closure on Saturday, in a post on its website. It said that the last day of the season would be Sunday, March 15, and would close afterwards due to the “evolving situation with the COVID-19 virus.”

The hills had intended to stay open until the end of March: Rabbit Hill had listed the end of season as March 25, Snow Valley had intended to run until March 27. Sunridge had its regular season end listed as “mid-March.”

Several of the larger ski resorts in the province remain in operation: Marmot Basin in Jasper National Park remains open and operational, as does Sunshine Village in Banff National Park.