Weather, COVID-19 challenge ski hill

JAMES RISDON SPECIAL TO SALTWIRE NETWORK

Sales of season passes are up but the onetwo punch of public health restrictions and a late start to the season is threatening to push revenue down at Nova Scotia's Ski Wentworth.

“Despite all the changes we have made due to COVID-19, Mother Nature still rules and she slowed down and delayed our opening,” says Leslie Wilson, president and co-owner of the family-owned alpine ski hill.

Ski Wentworth usually opens during the third week of December. But this season, the weather in the Wentworth Valley didn’t co-operate and that was delayed by about two weeks.

When Ski Wentworth opened in January, it only had its main runs, the SissyRosebowl, open. It added the bunny hill to provide ski lessons three weeks later. “Usually, I’d like to have everything open, typically about 10 trails, at this time of year,” said Wilson.

But the late start isn’t the only thing to hit Ski Wentworth. Ottawa has acknowledged it may be at least September before the pandemic is under control in Canada, and while Atlantic Canada remains the envy of much of the rest of the country for the relatively small numbers of cases, public health safety measures are not going to go away anytime soon. That’s meant Ski Wentworth, like every other business, has had to adapt. Ducky’s, the hill’s restaurant, has had to put in place social distancing, cutting seating capacity to 180 from 250. Wilson’s team responded by hiring more employees to offer a sit-down dining experience with servers. Ski Wentworth also renovated a barn, and converted it into a quick lunch area for patrons.

“We decided to use it as a grab and go. You can go in there and grab a chili and sandwich and a coffee.”

Those who want to bring a bag lunch can now sit in a roughly 3,000-square-foot greenhouse equipped with picnic tables at the base of the hill that can accommodate about 100 people. It offsets the loss of indoor space in the main lodge, where patrons used to bring lunches before the pandemic.

“We also put in a stone fire pit and poured in concrete for a patio,” Wilson said. “It’s working out really well. It’s to make a more pleasant outdoor experience. You can sit there and watch your kids come down.” Day tickets are offered at two new automated kiosks on the site.

A lot of the work to expand Ski Wentworth was done during the off season with its own employees. That helped keep costs down.

But Wilson said the investment needed to comply with COVID-19 regulations, including the kiosks, software, personal protection equipment and renovation and building costs, added up to about $75,000 roughly the same amount Ski Wentworth saved by delaying its usual purchase of additional snow-making equipment.

Ski Wentworth also saved money on wages by availing itself of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. The company also took $60,000 in interest-free loans provided by Ottawa to small businesses to cover operating costs during the pandemic. Interest in skiing up

A boon for Ski Wentworth is strongerthan-usual season ski pass revenue. “We were averaging 15 per cent up on season pass sales,” said Wilson, who thinks this was driven by people looking for things to do outside as the second wave of the pandemic hit.

This season, Ski Wentworth sold more than 2,000 season passes and, on a busy day, sells an additional 1,500 lift tickets.

But there are revenue generators and guest services that are just not possible with restrictions. Babysitting services are suspended. So too is some of the entertainment - party nights with bands that are now on hold.

The hill also has added operational costs, including a five per cent bump up in its workforce to handle table service at Ducky’s and ensure compliance with social distancing and cleaning.

A privately held business, Ski Wentworth is owned by Wilson and her siblings and does not divulge revenues or profits. It’s clear, though, that COVID-19 has had a dampening effect on the bottom line.

Ski Wentworth did not break even during the 2019-2020 season and will be hardpressed to do so this year.

The big unknown – as it is every year – will be the weather. Good snowfalls and a longer spring skiing season could still allow Ski Wentworth to end the year in the black. Even with social distancing rules that result in longer lineups at the lifts, a lot of Nova Scotians are still heading to Ski Wentworth to get fresh air, exercise and sunshine. “There are a lot of happy people here,” said Wilson.

“People are so happy to come here and do something outside.”