Sweet weather killjoy | The Press

“Closed – Be careful, thin ice”: from Gaspésie to Abitibi, via Saguenay, the majority of outdoor rinks in the province are impassable due to mild weather and rain. And with the mercury breaking records in 2023, Montreal has even given up on building an ice cream this winter on the Jarry Park pond, despite it being a winter classic, an emblematic place popular with skaters for years.

In Lebel-sur-Quévillon, one of the towns in Northern Quebec most affected by forest fires last summer, there is no outdoor skating as tradition dictates during the spring break. Christmas. The mayor of this Jamésie municipality of 2,091 inhabitants recounts with disappointment that the rain got the better of the snow at the beginning of winter, then the ice.

“Usually, a beautiful icy path is set up for skating by our road teams,” explains Mayor Guy Lafrenière, reached at home, surrounded by his family. “This year, our trail is closed to skaters. He’s on the gravel. When I look out my living room window, I see grass on 80% of my land. I haven’t managed to get my snowmobile or snowshoes out yet. »

On the island of Montreal, barely half a dozen outdoor ice rinks out of a total of 200 are open to skating – all are refrigerated. At Jarry Park, the famous ice rink on the pond is in the water. The place is deserted. A sign announces that the district has decided not to open it this winter due to changes in the weather.

In Mount Royal Park, the famous refrigerated skating rink at Lac aux Castors is open. But it is deserted on this Wednesday noon. Walkers walk here and there with their dogs, particularly around the ice ring in Duquette Park, in Verdun, which is also closed.

“It affects me for them”

The conditions “are not optimal,” agrees Philippe Sabourin, first spokesperson for the City of Montreal. But the teams will be ready to set up the other rinks as soon as the weather permits, he assures. “It’s not so much the heat as the rain, the biggest problem. »

In Matane, at the gateway to Gaspésie, it is almost impossible to skate outside. On a municipal page, administrators warn users that the ice rink is closed until further notice. “There are parts on the asphalt. For your safety, we recommend that you do not skate,” it says.

The absence of outdoor ice rinks disappoints young and old. “Usually, I make an ice rink in my backyard. This year, I can’t do any, because there is no snow, and above all, it’s not cold,” says Denis Thomas, met Wednesday at the Étienne-Desmarteau arena, in the Rosemont district. , to Montreal. He was attending the training of his son Jérémie, 10 years old, who is part of the Montréal Élite hockey team. The father plans to buy synthetic ice to allow his children to skate despite the temperature. “Especially since they don’t have a school. »

A few meters further, Merlange Antoine is sorry that the public outdoor rinks are not open. “It affects me for them,” she said, pointing to the young hockey players in front of her. “We are really seeing the impact of climate change. It’s palpable. » His son Andy, 10, is a big fan of the outdoor ice rink located opposite their home. Since it is closed, he has to make do with his training at the arena.

Busy arenas

The City of Saguenay announced in a press release on Tuesday the closure of all its ice creams due to weather conditions. In the Chicoutimi sector, at Rivière-du-Moulin Park, it is “obligatory to wear crampons” on the trails, where a sort of crust has formed.

In the Laurentians, the skating season has not yet started on Lake Masson. In Magog, in the Eastern Townships, skating rinks, slides and trails are closed. In Mauricie, the majority of outdoor ice creams are also closed. A skater and employee of the Fernand-Asselin arena, in Trois-Rivières, says that the rink is busy from opening to closing.

“It’s always busy during the holiday season, but this year it’s incredible. It’s full for free hockey and free skating hours,” explains Dominique Roberge.

Disappointment for winter sports enthusiasts

But it’s not just the lack of ice that is changing the plans of thousands of Quebecers on vacation. Almost everywhere, people are sorry not to be able to practice their winter sports during the holiday season. Like Lise Roche, who booked five nights at the inn at Domaine Saint-Bernard in Mont-Tremblant, a well-known playground for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. “We’ve wanted to go there for cross-country skiing for years. It’s 80 km of trails. Heaven ! », she exclaims. She had rented a chalet that could accommodate 16 members of the Roche family, all winter sports enthusiasts.

Except… the cross-country ski trails are closed until further notice. “I spoke with the manager on Wednesday morning and it’s a crust of ice and it’s melting. And there is not a bit of snow forecast,” laments M.^me Rock. And the family won’t be able to put on their skates either.

The family will resign themselves to playing pétanque and box hockey and going for walks, focusing on what matters most: “The important thing is to be everyone together,” emphasizes M.^me Rock. However, she has a thought “for businesses that live off winter and miss this period”.

And for good reason. The temperatures of recent weeks have also had an impact on alpine ski centers. In total, 47 of the province’s 73 ski resorts are open. “Resorts that have older technology snow cannons or that don’t have any at all are forced to delay their opening,” explains Josée Cusson, director of communications and marketing at the Association of Resorts. ski resort in Quebec.

And the open stations “find themselves with spring-like conditions because of the milder temperatures,” says M.^me Cusson. The ski area is around 30 to 40% in most resorts. “Usually, the objective for Christmas is to have around 60% of ski area, so we are a little below normal. The rain on Monday before Christmas had an impact on the number of slopes open. »

No snow for several days

According to Environment Canada forecasts, cold weather and snow will not settle in the province for several days. And the increasingly late arrival of winter is not just an impression.

Data made public by the City of Montreal shows that, for five years, the metropolis has received on average less than 8 centimeters of snow in December. Same phenomenon in March. On the other hand, precipitation is greater in January and February.

Just before the holidays, Mayor Valérie Plante was questioned at a press briefing about her plans to refrigerate outdoor ice rinks. In particular to create an ice ring in Angrignon Park, in LaSalle. Are these plans for the future? he was asked.

The mayor of Montreal then recalled that tens of millions of dollars had to be invested in recent years to rid arenas of their freon refrigeration systems, a gas harmful to the ozone layer. She invited the population to enjoy the illuminated skating rink on Esplanade Tranquille, in the Quartier des spectacles, downtown.