Winnipeggers flock to BDI on chilly opening day

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This article was published 23/03/2024 (633 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Even if the weather was a little colder than normal, Winnipeggers didn’t seem to notice, as sweet treat enthusiasts, many decked out in parkas, lined up for the opening day of Bridge Drive-In’s 67th season Saturday.

Seven-year-old David Zinesi was among the afternoon crowd a few hours after the iconic ice cream shop opened at noon. He’s a life-long fan, and it’s his lucky day — he got a second cup of his favourite flavour, chocolate with sprinkles, after the staff accidentally made two.

“Yesterday, I was so excited for tomorrow,” he told the Free Press in between licks on one of the benches by the Jubilee shop parking lot. “Because I was waiting all winter to get an ice cream from BDI.”

His mom, Leana Zinesi, got a chocolate cone too. They’ve been coming together every year. They live in the neighbourhood — “an easy walk, an easy wagon ride, an easy dog walk, an easy bike ride and an easy drive,” she explained.

“It’s one one of those things. I love tradition, and sometimes traditions, you can create them, and sometimes they just happen,” she said.

“And so the BDI is a tradition that seems to have just happened. Now it’s one of those things that we can share.”

BDI has been the centre point of traditions for and a sign of spring to come for Winnipeggers for decades, and its opening comes after about a week of rushing to make toppings, ensuring machinery is in working order and get the landmark Jubilee joint ready, owner Justin Jacob said.

“I tend to just look at the forecast and look for if there’s going to be some double-digit temperatures within the next five or six days, and then from that period of time, the kind of have to just flip the switch and just get everything completely ready,” he said.

Last year, BDI opened March 25.

This year, local lactose-intolerant ice cream lovers can expect a return of one of BDI’s most unique offerings, a dairy-free soft-serve style dessert made of lupin, a legume imported from Europe, ideally next week, Jacob said.

“We’re excited to get the season underway and just get back to serving ice cream,” he said.

Among those served Saturday were Miranda Hood, Jen Broesky, and Hood’s eight-year-old son Declan. While a little more elaborate than the simple chocolate cones the Zinesis picked, they nonetheless went with a classic: the cookie monster cone, topped with half a cookie.

“The cookie on it is amazing,” Miranda said, while Declan noted that while it’s one of his favourites, he prefers a twist cone.

It’s a tradition for them too — as youth, they’d grab ice cream after dance performances — and Hood’s sister, a Winnipegger living in Calgary, was the one who reminded them it was opening day, wishing she could come.

“We don’t always make it first day, but usually in the summer, we’ll bike here, get an ice cream and bike home,” Broesky said.

“Not a year goes by without coming to BDI.”

For the spring season, BDI will be open 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekday and noon till 9 p.m. on weekends. In the summer, hours will be extended to noon to 10 p.m. daily.