Despite mild weather, another winter attraction finds a way to open

It happened weeks later than hoped, but another area winter attraction has managed to open despite mild January conditions.

River Valley Tube Park, near St. Marys, Ont. joins London’s Boler Mountain in offering winter fun.

It is the first slide of the season for visitors and some staff families at River Valley Tube Park – and it’s exciting for everyone, including young Sam Ross.

“You’re going down super-fast, the ice is in your face,” he said. “It is just honestly thrilling!”

And it is a thrill for Sarah Forbes to see. As manager of the park, she’s been waiting weeks for this moment.

“We would have liked to have been here, Dec. 26, right before Christmas. But unfortunately, we’re not in charge, the weather gods are. But here we are now,” she said.

Sarah Forbes, manager of River Valley Tube Park near St. Marys, Ont. is seen on Jan. 3, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)While some snow did fall on St. Marys on Wednesday, it is not nearly enough to get the entire park open.

Even with snow machines running, a second tube slope is not expected to open until later in the month.

That’s far too late for many in this group, which includes visitors from Scotland.

After a week in Canada, they had feared they’d miss enjoying some aspects of a typical Canadian winter.

“It’s kind of a bit like Scottish weather now, dreary and not super cold,” said Claire Anghel.

A family of snow tubers, including visitors from Scotland, hit up River Valley Tube Park, near St. Marys, Ont., on Jan. 3, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)But once on the hill, Claire’s husband and daughter Alice experienced a Canadian thrill. When asked why she was screaming while up on the hill, Alice was all smiles.

“Because it was scary and it was really fun!" she said.

In the meantime, Forbes will continue her plea with the sky for more snow.

“We hoping this is going to stay. We’re hoping this is going to last. We’re hoping we’re going to get more cold temperatures to make more snow, but again we wait and we see,” she said.

Boler Mountain meanwhile hopes to open its tube park next weekend.