There’s rain and freezing rain in the Montreal forecast this evening and overnight — nothing to improve conditions for lovers of outdoor winter sports. Rain and mild temperatures recently have made it tough for skiing, skating and sledding.
“It’s a little bit depressing,” said Matt Graham, a father of two living in Montreal’s NDG neighbourhood.
Walking his dog through Girouard Park, he couldn’t help but notice how the rink there is currently in no shape to welcome any skaters.
It’s the same at almost every outdoor rink in Montreal. A quick look at the city website shows nearly every single one is closed.
Many sledding hills are also in brutal shape. Graham says he would prefer to be out in the elements with his two kids.
“We’re playing some board games and trying to do some craft stuff to keep them kind of interested in not just battling one another,” he told Global News.
The City of Montreal told Global News natural outdoor rinks need multiple weather conditions to coincide to be able to function.
“The accumulation of 10 centimeters of snow on the ground, temperatures under -5C for at least three days, and no precipitation during those days,” explained city spokesperson Kim Nantais.
Outside the city at Mont Saint-Bruno, there is enough snow for people to hit the slopes, but conditions could be better.
“It can be stressful because right now what’s happening,” said Michel Couture, the president of Ski Saint-Bruno, “it’s really the bread and butter of our year.”
Couture says ski season came two or three weeks later than usual. Higher temperatures mean they’re leaning heavily on snow-making machines, but those can only operate in sub-zero temperatures with -8C to -10C being ideal. Less snow means more work spreading it around.
“It’s really increasing our expenses on the labour and machinery just to recycle this snow and keep really good conditions for the the skiers who are coming to the hill,” Couture explained.
Though Ski Saint Bruno is 75 per cent open, there are far fewer skiers than there could be.
“It’s kind of positive for skiers because you have access to mountain, no waiting in lines. It’s really fun. It’s a comfortable 500 people in the hill compared to 4,000, 5,000 people,” he said.
Cold weather is in the forecast this weekend, and there is optimism conditions will keep improving.
“We never get everything we want in a season,” said Couture, saying there are always weather obstacles to overcome.
Holiday season tourists from other provinces and the United States are helping the industry as a whole, and so are ski schools.
“Ski schools are busy. So it could be better, but it’s not catastrophic, I guess,” said Yves Juneau, director of Quebec’s association of ski resorts.
He said smaller hills that don’t have snow machines are really feeling the pinch.
“All ski areas are back in operation, for those who have snowmaking. The ones that are not equipped with snowmaking equipment, we still have some areas that are not able to operate because of the mild weather,” he explained.
Back in the city, the only outdoor rinks up and running are the refrigerated ones, like the Montreal Canadiens’ “bleu blanc rouge” rink at Confederation Park in NDG.
It’s one of 13 in the province built at $1.7 million a pop, and welcomed some spirited hockey players on Wednesday .
“It’s awesome. I’m retired, I live a few minutes away and I can skate every day almost,” said local resident Philip Woodcock.
Meanwhile, Montreal’s winter sport lovers, trying to get some fresh air, will take what they can get.
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