Rain washes away spring sports venue revenues

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This article was published 06/06/2022 (1313 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In 20 years at Buhler Recreation Park, Steve Mymko has never faced a more challenging spring.

The east Winnipeg facility manager said outside of the years slowed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the business hasn’t had a less profitable start to its outdoor season.

“Each day we’re shut down is $5,000,” he said. “Year over year, we’re probably down about $80,000.”

Buhler Recreational Park is a non-profit organization that makes its revenue as the host site of softball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse and flag football games for various leagues.

The park couldn’t open until May 16, due to the late snowfall and had to cancel over two weeks’ worth of games and tournaments due to wet conditions.

This spring (March 1 to May 31) was the second wettest in Winnipeg since 1872, when such record keeping began.

Mymko said he hopes for a dry July and August, as the window to reschedule games is filling up fast.

“We’re always full, but now it’s getting to the point where we don’t have room to move any games around,” he said Monday. “When people get their schedules for their leagues, they start to plan other things for when they don’t play, like vacations or camping. It’s hard to have to try and work around that.”

The untimely weather cancellations, paired with inflated costs of food for the canteen, gas for the maintenance vehicles and fertilizer has forced the park to raise its gate fee for the first time since 2014 (to $4 from $3).

The slower than expected start is being felt across the outdoor sports industry.

“We’re way down in golf rounds and up in rain cancellations,” first-year general manager at Lorette Golf Course, Zach Franko, said.

“Unfortunately, in the sports and recreational business, it’s the risk you run. You can’t control the weather.”

The green space southeast of the city was closed most of May, since its conditions were unplayable due to rain and flooding from the neighbouring Seine River.

After playing professional hockey overseas, Franko, 29, entered his first year in the golf industry and said he knew this situation was a possibility.

“I’m a firm believer that you control what you can control, but it’s still stressful to deal with Mother Nature sometimes.”

Franko said the Lorette course has decided against raising fees, as it may steer customers away. Instead, staff have tried to keep the course in pristine condition and hope revenue will come when the weather heats up.

“Golf is an expensive sport to begin with. If we raise our prices, people are knowledgeable enough to know they can get a better deal somewhere else,” he said. “We think that if we work hard to keep our course in top condition and treat the members and customers correctly, people will continue to come.”

Sports facilities weren’t the only businesses who faced the wet conditions.

Thunder Rapids Amusement Park owner Verna McGuckin said years of experience led to setting a low bar for business this spring.

“We know that April and May are pretty hit and miss when it comes to weather,” she said. “We open if the weather allows us, but we use that time to focus on training staff and get everything ready for the summer.”

Thunder Rapids doesn’t fully close if it rains. It has an indoor arcade and sheltered play structure which remain open, and batting cages which can operate in minimal amounts of rain.

McGuckin said focusing on June, July and August makes being a weather-dependent business less stressful.

“Most of our birthday parties and corporate events are booked starting in June. We’ve been getting a lot of phone calls lately and we’re just happy to be able to book those events post COVID.”

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca