How the changing face of the New Brunswick winter is forcing some adjustments
CBC
New Brunswick Exhibition executive director Mike Vokey figured cold weather and snow in February in New Brunswick was a given.
Unfortunately, for the outdoor event Winterfrolic, he was mistaken.
The event featuring sled hills, snow mazes and, at one point, a skating rink was scheduled to take place on a weekend in January, but a lack of snow pushed that date back to the February Family Day weekend.
But even February brought difficulties with rain and warm weather, forcing the event to shrink to just two days and shutter the skating rink.
"It's frustrating," said Vokey.
"It's a lot of work, too, for a lot of volunteers. You can't do anything about it. There's lots of things within your control, but the weather isn't."
It's not just frustrating, it's costly. Vokey said postponing an event, even the size of Winterfrolic, can cost between $100,000 and $300,000.
Winterfrolic isn't the only casualty of a mild winter.
Ski hills like Crabbe Mountain in Upper Hainesville had to shut down several times, going so far as having to close over part of the holiday season because of warm temperatures.
Outdoor activities like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing have also been impacted by a lack of snow, or at least uncertainty about when snow will come.
But some activities appear a little more resilient.
Dave Garland, the president of the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, said snowmobilers by and large have been able to cope with changing winters.
He said while some people may have to travel a bit to find snow.
But he said elevation and not latitude makes the difference in New Brunswick when it comes to snow. He said even southern areas aren't that far away from trails, which are groomed and keep longer.