Some Calgarians and businesses lament 'awful' summer

Labour Day marks the unofficial end of summer in Calgary, and if there was ever a summer to forget, it was this one.

"It was awful. I moved here in '07 and it was by far the worst summer I've ever seen," saidLonnie Grand Maison, out enjoying a rare rain-free day by the Bow River.

"It seems like it's been every day since June. I think we should have taken advantage in April and May when it was 27 degrees."

Rain, rain, rain, rain

Calgarians were teased by record-breaking highs back in April, thanks to El Nino conditions.

But spring sprang and summer poured.

Environment Canada predicted a warm, dry summer. The exact opposite happened. Extreme weather wreaked havoc in Southern Alberta for much of July and August.

Record-breaking rainfall replaced record highs. Many businesses and events got a financial soaking as profits washed away.

Business impact

"It's been the quietest summer. July and August were pretty much a write-off," says Cathy Jacobs, owner of Angel's Cappuccino & Ice Cream Cafe across the river from Edworthy Park.

"On the nice days we saw more people out than we did any other time of the year, but the weather being what it was we've seen a very slow year this year."

Jacobs isn't alone.

"It definitely affected business somewhat. We don't have the same volume coming through like we had in previous years," says Harry Daley with Lazy Day Raft Rentals.

"We saw big numbers come out when the sun came out though, so overall we still had a busy season and we're looking forward to possibly having some good weather coming in September."

Winter is coming

Much of this year's Calgary Stampede was a washout and this summer's Oxford Stomp music event was cancelled for the first time in 28 years. Organizers are still dealing with the fallout.

"We are getting very close to settling our insurance claim and look forward to getting our customers refunded as soon as possible," reads a statement on the event's Facebook page this weekend.

The Stomp was was one of several events cancelled across the city. Organizers of the popular Shakespeare by the Bow had to cancel 14 shows this year because of rain and thunderstorms.

As the summer comes to an end there`s little consolation for anyone hoping for a repeat of last year`s mildwinter, as El Ninoconditions come to an end, making way for a potential La Nina.

That typicallymeans a colder winter for Western Canada.

The Canadian Farmers' Almanac is also predicting the winterwill be icy, cold and snowy.

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