Brookvale opening Boxing Day
Provincial ski park will begin season with just one run
Islanders looking to work off some of that Christmas turkey dinner may want to consider slapping on the skis.
The Brookvale Provincial Ski Park announced Thursday that it is opening for the season on Boxing Day.
“As long as the weather holds the way it’s predicted to right now. We’re still making snow,’’ said Erin Curley, assistant superintendent with the park. “We’ll be opening with just one run, unfortunately, however we are excited to have that one open. It does mean we won’t have any beginner (hill) available on Boxing Day.’’ The snowmaking machines are busy on the other runs at Brookvale but the park isn’t quite ready to open them and no date has been announced since, obviously, the weather could quickly change things either way.
“If, for some reason, the weather changes, we might have to adjust our schedule.’’ The opening day at Brookvale tends to change every year because of the dependency on snow and cold temperatures but Curley said they’re not far off their usual opening date.
“It’s a little bit later but we’re pretty much on par with all of the other resorts in the Atlantic provinces. Everyone has been delayed this year.’’
Last year, the Nordic trail was open on Dec. 20 while the Alpine trails followed on Dec. 22. The year before that, they were open on Dec. 18.
“We had hoped to be open on the 16th but not having cold enough temperatures to make snow and not having any natural snow we had to postpone it until the 23rd which we’ve updated today to say ‘no, we’re not going to make (that date) either.’’’
Curley said the park is not completely dependent on snowfalls to get all its runs open but making snow does take time, as long as the temperatures are cold enough to prevent the snow from melting as soon as it hits the ground. “We are continuing to make snow on (other runs) . . . and we will open runs as we can. The park operates on Boxing Day from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Curley said they’ll be reducing their rates as well as people slap on their skis for the first time, at least at Brookvale. Lift tickets will be $13.80 for the day while rental packages will also be $13.80 for the day.
The snow school at the park is also still accepting winter group registrations until Dec. 31.
“(Boxing Day) is a great day to come out to the hill. . . Nothing else is open,’’ she said, referring to things like stores. “It’s a great way to spend the day in the fresh air working off the turkey (dinner).’’