B.C. residents soak up the sun they’ve been waiting months for
Those who weren’t out camping were likely enjoying a few cool drinks on warm patios
Pools, patios, plant stores, they were all doing brisk business over the May long weekend as sun-starved Wet Coasters came out in droves to enjoy the first hint that summer is not some mystical memory, but an actual thing.
“Cold beers and margaritas are flying out the windows,” Ash Ranjbar, owner of the Hurricane Grill on Marinaside Crescent in Yaletown, said as he prepared another order of salt-rimmed drinks for thirsty customers. “The May long weekend is a camping weekend, but for people who aren’t camping they come to the patio because everybody has missed the sun.
“This has been a very lucrative weekend, all due to the weather.”
A pent-up urge to finally start planting left nurseries doing their best weekend business of the season so far.
“You sensed that people had been holding back, definitely,” said Rob Wein, one of the owners of Clearview Garden Shop in Aldergrove. “Last year at this time, business had kind of died after Mother’s Day because it had been so warm early on.”
And Vancouver’s three outdoor pools were popular spots as the sunshine and warmth greeted their opening on Saturday.
Lytton, at 33.8 C, was the Canadian hot spot on Monday. B.C.’s coldest high temperature was recorded at Langara Island, 9.7 C.
The mercury hit 21 C in Vancouver, shy of the record high of 24.4 C set in 1958, according to Environment Canada. The average high for May 22 is 17.1 C.
The nice weather is supposed to hold up for the week, except for a chance of showers on Wednesday, climbing to 25 C next Saturday and Sunday.
Hastings Park expected Monday to be its biggest day of the year so far, although since admission is free there is no turnstile count and attendance guesstimates are made from wagers, food and beverage sales.
“When the weather co-operates, people come out,” Hastings Park spokesman Greg Douglas said.
“We got off to a slow start this season because of the weather. Horses couldn’t train in February like they normally do and we had to delay the start a week.”