Seasonal businesses embracing early start to summer weather
The owner of The Paddle Station says he could see between 700 to 900 people hit the water this week with temperatures expected to hit 30 degrees Wednesday and Thursday. The last time the daytime high reached 30 was August 2020.
“We know that Calgarians are waiting for the warm weather,” said Ravi Thaker.
The rafting company launched its fifth season during a rainy May long weekend. Thaker said typically they have between 20 and 30,000 customers annually. This year early projections are for 30 to 50,000 rafters.
“I think with COVID happening that situation has changed people’s social gathering plans.”
Thaker said more people are opting for outdoor activities during the pandemic.
“We feel you can have groups of five or six people in a raft and you can still get another family in another raft and still be distant but still partake in the same activity together,” said Thaker.
This weekend, Thaker said they are introducing an app to communicate with rafters on the water with updated weather warnings.
“What’s amazing about it is that it’s geo-positioned so wherever you are on the water you’ll have a different alert if that’s the case so it will keep people safer.”
RESTAURANTS WATCHING THE FORECAST
Restaurants set to re-open outdoor dining Tuesday have also been keeping an eye on the forecast.
“Especially since we are opening our patio tomorrow, so it just came at the right time and we are really looking forward to plus 30 this week,” said Heather Pedhirney, operations manager at River Cafe group.
Pedhirney said River Cafe thrives during sunny, warm weather. She said the restaurant is looking forward to re-opening following an easing of restrictions.
“People enjoy the park in the summer in the gorgeous weather and our patio is 50 per cent of our capacity.”
River Cafe is celebrating 30 years in business. This year it amped up its picnic menu, offering a twist on takeout options with more items to order from.
“People can order online, they can choose what they’d like including picnic essentials, picnic baskets, blankets and either enjoy it in the picnic garden or out in the park.”
Under stage one of the province’s re-launch plan outdoor patios are permitted as of June 1. A maximum of four people are permitted per table. Everyone must be from the same household unless you live alone then you are able to dine with two close contacts.
Stage two of the re-launch plan, anticipated to begin mid-June would allow six people to dine indoors or outside with no restrictions on who is dining together.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.