Enough! I’m ready for terrasse season
Winter has its charms, but it has been a tough one, and now it’s time to move on
This is an April Fool’s joke, right?
Over the weekend, Environment Canada announced that a spring storm was making its way up from the central United States, over the Great Lakes and into Quebec. Starting Tuesday, parts of this province could see spots of snow, flurries and freezing rain.
The good news is that Montreal will likely be spared the worst of it. The latest forecasts predict rain for our city, not more of the dreaded white stuff. OK, fine. But it’s still just a little too close for comfort as far as I’m concerned.
Listen up, Mother Nature. Allow me to speak on behalf of all Montrealers: I’m done. We’re all done.
We’ve put in our time. A full 88 days, 23 hours and 47 minutes of winter, to be precise. Dec. 21 marked the solstice and the first day of winter. March 20 was officially the first day of spring. That’s quite enough, thank you. Let’s get on with it.
Skiing, sledding and iceskating all hold a certain allure in December. I love cosy nights in front of a fire after a day of snowshoeing in January. Bring on the snowman-building in February. Getting friends together to visit a favourite cabane à sucre for maple syrup and pancakes in March? Pure magic. But let’s be clear about one thing. There is nothing romantic about freezing rain in April — although at least the sidewalks won’t stay icy long.
It’s been a particularly long, cold, difficult winter. And, no, it’s not just your imagination: We really did get more snow than usual this year. A typical winter snowfall in this city runs around 190 centimetres. This year, we were walloped with 235 centimetres. There were days in December where Montreal was quite literally colder than Antarctica, the North Pole or the planet Mars. Because it was so cold, the snow didn’t thaw. This made matters worse for everyone involved. Over at our place, we broke a couple of shovels trying to break through the layers of ice covering the stairs and walkway, and I’m pretty sure we’re not alone. We know that the conditions made for a very cumbersome season for snow and ice removal all around the island.
Not to mention expensive: The city spent $180 million in snow-clearing operations and had to open two emergency dump sites. It was a politically challenging experience for the newly minted Projet Montréal administration, which was criticized for its slow, ineffective response in dealing with slippery sidewalks and mountains of snow.
In my family, our supplies — much like our zest for winter — have been fully exhausted. There is not a single matching pair of mittens or gloves to be found anywhere in my house. Ditto for woolly socks. My kids have grown out of their snow pants and jackets. In an act of faith, I’ve gone so far as to send my heavy-duty parka — streaked with salt, sand and dirty snow — to the dry cleaners. I’ve swapped my winter boots for rain boots. The summer tires are out of storage and ready to be put on the car. I’ve got boxes of stuff in my basement all ready for a Sunday afternoon garage sale.
We live in a drafty old house in the Plateau and I’ve spent too much time over the past few months cocooned in blankets, armed with mugs of tea. Bring on the warmer weather. I am ready for terrasse season.
To all my fellow winterweary Montrealers, fear not. Look around. Kids are out on skateboards and scooters. Cafés are cracking open their windows. The days are getting longer and the sunshine feels stronger. It won’t be long before Bixis will be back in operation.
Despite the burst of cold weather on the way this week, the harbingers of spring are everywhere. Hang in there.