Table Mountain is among the premier destinations for down-hill skiing in the region. (Facebook/Table Mountain)

By Martin Martinson

A waiting game

Table Mountain postpones opening due to COVID restrictions

Dec 18, 2020 | 2:29 PM

For the first year since 1972, there will be no skiing over the Christmas holidays at Table Mountain.

It has been a challenging year for the local ski locale, as provincial government restrictions — and to a lesser extent, mild weather conditions – have forced their hand to delay opening for the season indefinitely for the time being.

General manager, Lawrence Blouin, said the latest round of government stipulations make it next to impossible from a financial standpoint to open operations, due to the current capacity limitation allowed within the grounds.

“They’re restricting our numbers to 150 people on the premises and we just can’t afford it with those kinds of numbers,” Blouin said. “It’s just not financially viable for us to run with those government restrictions, so right now we have no idea when we’re going to open.”

Blouin said they have reached out to the provincial business response team to see if exceptions can be made to accommodate their opening, but remain in limbo while they wait for a response for the time-being.

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Logistically, Table Mountain would be ready to begin snow-making operations as soon as they receive the go-ahead for an expanded capacity, should that happen in the coming days or weeks. However, due to the cost required to run the equipment, they must hold off on starting the process until that approval is granted.

“Everything’s geared up,” Blouin said. “The chairs are ready to go, the carpets are ready to go, and the snow guns are all parked on the hill ready for us to start the water pumps, but until we get an increase in numbers from the government we’re not going to take the chance that maybe they’ll give us the go-ahead.”

“If we start the process and they [stand by] the 150-person limit, we would have wasted a bunch of money on snowmaking, so for now everything remains at a standstill,” he added.

The capacity-limit dilemma only compounds what would have already been a later-than-usual start to the season for Table Mountain, due to mild weather conditions through much of November and the early part of December.

Generally the establishment aims to open the first week of December, but due to the lack of snow heading into the month, the target opening date had been pushed back as late as this week.

Blouin said they do still remain hopeful to be able to open in the New Year, should they receive the green light to expand capacity. Although there does remain the possibility that permission is not granted.

The skiing season generally lasts until the final weekend of March.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1