Victoria Day long weekend ends with soggy weather in Hamilton

The Victoria Day long weekend that started out warm and sunny quickly turned wet and blustery, dropping from highs near 20 on Saturday to daytime lows of about 10 degrees Sunday and Monday.

Hamilton streets were quiet Monday, a consistent drizzle throughout the day keeping people at home. A few families and dog-walkers braved the wind and rain. Two surfers were spotted by the Burlington Lift Bridge, riding waves brought by the stormy weather.

Rain began to fall Sunday afternoon, and the city had received about 19 millimetres by Monday afternoon, according to Environment Canada. Hamilton had been expecting up to 50 millimetres.

Some homes along Hamilton's beach strip had sump pumps running early Monday. Basement flooding from stormwater has become common at lakeside homes in the city.

The Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant entered bypass mode Monday morning, as the weekend's wet weather exceeded its capacity, a City of Hamilton news release stated. City sewer overflow tanks are at risk of topping out should rain continue into the evening.

Far fewer people were out on golf courses, trails, and other outdoor public spaces in Hamilton on Sunday. Garden centres, which were able to reopen May 4 following provincial guidelines, remained busy early Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday, sunny skies and afternoon highs of 17 C in Hamilton brought people out of their homes to enjoy the long weekend.

Cyclists, skateboarders and inline skaters cruised the city's paths and bike lanes. Convoys of motorcycles stopped by the side of the road under a shady tree. Cars rolled down the streets with their windows and tops down. The citizens of Hamilton seemed to be making the best of the Victoria Day long weekend, despite ongoing COVID-19 closures and physical distancing restrictions.

Hamilton bylaw issued 21 tickets Saturday and Sunday, including seven tickets for violating the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA), which is used to enforce restrictions and closures due to COVID-19. One ticket was issued for violating physical distancing requirements, 11 tickets were issued related to offences at city parks, one ticket was issued related to animal ownership, and one ticket was issued related to yard maintenance.

On Saturday, kids played - some even splashing in the chilly Lake Ontario water - while their parents soaked up some rays of sun on the pebbled shores of Hamilton's Beach Strip.

Five-year-old Hazel was building a sandcastle with a plastic cup and a small shovel, while her dad read a book in a folding beach chair.

Sandy hands again!" she said, as she headed to the water to rinse. Hazel said she misses her friends in her junior kindergarten class, which was cancelled two months early due to the pandemic. She is an only child.

I think she's handling it better than expected, but there are definitely rough days," said her dad, Michael Bury.

Bury said he is happy to be anywhere other than his house.

It's the first time in, like, two months I've been out," he said.

On a typical Victoria Day long weekend, Bury and his family would be at their cottage near Bancroft, Ont. This year, because of the pandemic, they're sticking close to home.

Some Hamilton-area golfers were able to get out on the green Saturday, after courses were allowed to open - with physical distancing restrictions in place - as part of the province's first stage of reopening.

Getting out and doing something when everything else is closed is pretty nice," said Kevin Chambers, who lives in Hamilton. It was a good workout."

Chambers and three friends played a physically-distanced round of golf. They were able to get a 10 a.m. tee time - one of the first of the season - at Chippewa Creek Golf Club in Mount Hope.

Chambers, who would normally start golfing in late-April, said they were happy to be out in the sun on a freshly-groomed course.

I did better than I usually do," he said. The first round's always the best round. It usually goes down hill after that."

Since many seasonal activities remain closed and travel restrictions in place, Chambers said he will get on the course as often as he can.

Mostly likely next weekend, if not one day after work this week."

The Royal Hamilton Yacht Club was bustling with activity, with staff washing down boats and preparing them for the season. While people flocked to public outdoor spaces Saturday, the city's downtown streets remained relatively quiet, other than a few people running errands and walking their dogs.

Kate McCullough is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: kmccullough@thespec.com