John likes it when business goes downhill. Literally

Let’s get the bad joke out of the way; John Ball likes it when business is going downhill (Sorry!)

Snow Valley’s general manager could also be forgiven if he cheered lustily during this week’s snow squalls in this area, but Ball calmly tells BarrieToday the weather patterns this December are “right around the last 15-year averages."

“Our earliest opening (in recent years) was Nov. 22, 2008 and our latest opening was Dec. 31, 2015. Most years we are open the first or second weekend in December.”

Now, if you’re chomping at the bit to put on some boards and go cannonading down the hills, this Friday opens the ski season at Snow Valley, with the Tube Park opening up to snowboarders a week from Friday (Dec. 22)

And that popping sound you may have heard was Ball popping the buttons on his shirt, for the resort, celebrating its 65th anniversary this season, “has been nationally recognized as one of Canada’s best resorts for families to learn how to ski and snowboard.

“The Snowschool at Snow Valley has an incredible reputation for developing young and new skiers and snowboarders. Tens of thousands of young and old learn how to ski and snowboard in our Adventure Learning Centre complete with three carpet lifts and our Kidz Village with two carpets.”

And more pride shows when Ball says, “Snow Valley features the finest Snowtubing facility in Ontario. Three lifts deliver snowtubers to the top of 15 tubing lanes.”

And, as if that’s not enough, “Surrounding the snowtubing facility is 15 kilometres of snowshoe trails from easy to more difficult.”

The hill, in Minesing, just north of Barrie, underwent a facelift last year, including a renewal of its Adventure Learning Centre.

“Already recognized as having one of the best learning facilities in Canada,” John says, “Snow Valley’s Snowschool and Operations team came together to develop a plan that would deliver a ‘best-in-class’ facility to teach skiing and snowboarding to beginners.

“Before the season began, work crews re-graded the entire Adventure Learning Centre, installed three new carpet lifts, installed snowmaking, and renewed the lighting to deliver an amazing area for new skiers and snowboarders to learn.”

This weekend is just the start; the winter promises a full slate of exciting activities at Snow Valley, including the 31st anniversary of the Mash Bash, being held Friday, Feb. 2, to raise funds for Royal Victoria Hospital.

March break for the kids features a Spring Fling, with dual slalom races and a tug of war, besides many other family activities. Snow Valley also hosts the Chill Foundation Shredfest, its date to be determined.

Finally, Snow Valley is the Eastern Canada host for the CHILL Foundation bringing youth from Toronto to learn how to snowboard. Check out the link here.

The great thing, according to John Ball, is that skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing and snowshoeing are activities that can be enjoyed at any age.

“Our Discover Skiing and Discover Snowboarding are the most popular for those over six years of age, and three-to-five-year-olds learn in Ski ‘n Play in our Kidz Village. We also offer many lesson program options from individual private lessons for all ages.

“For the more competitive skiers, we also offer a race program and a “learn to race” (Race Squad) program. Our racers compete with racers from other resorts around the province.”

Ball concludes that a good season “would begin in early to mid-December and continue until the end of March. (But) we have often gone into early April.”

Learn more about Snow Valley, located at 2632 Vespra Valley Rd. in Minesing, by clicking here.