Golfers take advantage of earliest opening ever at Ariss course
The Ariss Valley Golf and Country Club opened to the public on Saturday, the earliest it’s ever opened for the season.
“[We’re] booked full [on Monday], 190 golfers. We had 168 out yesterday, 152 out on Saturday,” Ron Silver, the director of golf for the club, said.
Players were limited to walking only, with only 18 of its 27 holes available.
Before this year, the club’s earliest opening was March 15.
According to Silver, the course will close again if the winter weather returns. Right now, they’re just happy to be able to get golfers out on the course.
“If we get anything more than this it will just be a bonus,” he said. “We ended up opening April 10th last year.”
It has been an unusual winter for the golf club anyways. It closed on Nov. 15 and opened for a couple days later that month, and then again for four days around Christmas.
“I can't remember ever golfing this early,” said golfer Barry Williams.
“It's been a crazy year,” Silver agreed.
Barry Williams tees off at the Ariss Valley Golf and Country Club on March 4, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV Kitchener)
Golfers who were at the Ariss course on Monday said they jumped at the chance to get out and play.
Desmond Yuen constantly checks to see which clubs are open.
“We looked around Niagara Falls and all the other courses. As long as they are open, we are happy golfers.”
Yuen is from Mississauga and said it was worth the drive to Ariss in order to play Monday.
“We're looking at the days all the time and try to find something like mid-teens or even 10 degrees. We are really, really happy,” he explained. “We actually checked a couple of courses. They are fully booked, right? So we were lucky to get a tee time at a reasonable price. That's winter in Ontario. Happy, happy.”
Early season for motorcycles
Winter’s seemingly early end has also had a major impact on power sports dealers.
Apex Cycle Sports in Cambridge said it’s one their earliest switches from snowmobile to motorcycle sales.
“Usually it starts mid-April. So the fact that it's starting now, it's a blessing, especially with the lack of snow,” said sales manager Brian Shorney.
Motorcycles on display at Apex Cycle Sports in Cambridge on March 4, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV Kitchener)
Usually Apex is also busy selling snowmobiles at this time of year but Shorney said that has been lacking this season.
“On the upside, motorcycle sales have started much earlier than normal, which is good. We don't get the log jam all at one time,” he explained.
Winter activities ending
The public skating rink in Uptown Waterloo closed on Monday.
“Due to weather conditions and spring warm-up temperatures, the Uptown Public Square ice rink is closed for this season,” a city spokesperson said in an email.
MORE: Second warmest February in history of Waterloo Region, says UW weather station
According to the City of Waterloo, the mobile compressor system is being shut down and the ice, dasher boards and other items will be removed during the week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.