Businesses that sell equipment such as bicycles, kayaks, canoes, golf clubs and even home exercise equipment such as dumbbells and barbell plates have seen unprecedented demand during the early phase of the pandemic. This demand, combined with supply chain problems, meant that many items were out of stock for months. “It took off pretty quickly,” said Bill Burton, who works at Ottawa Valley Canoe & Kayak. “Demand skyrocketed.” Bill Burton at Ottawa Valley Canoe & Kayak says demand “skyrocketed” at the start of the pandemic as families scrambled to find activities amid lockdown. (Alexander Behne/CBC) Because travel has been complicated and often burdensome during the pandemic, and with summer camps and other activities for children and youth on a permanent hiatus, families flush with unspent vacation money have turned to the great outdoors, Burton said.
Demand falls as restrictions are lifted
This year, however, the shopping frenzy for outdoor sports gear is winding down. “It’s like the gold rush,” he explained. “The gold rush was great, but it has subsided.” Vicki Schouten was worried about the future of her business at the start of the pandemic, but instead found herself “sold out of almost everything.” (Alexander Behne/CBC) Vicki Schouten, owner of Expéditions Wakefield, located on the banks of the Gatineau River, has a similar experience with her business. It was initially feared that it would struggle to stay afloat as businesses were ordered to close in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. Instead, he saw an unexpected uptick in business. “We’ve gone from being very nervous about the future to trying to manage people’s expectations,” he said. “The first summer [of the pandemic] we basically sold out almost everything.”
Supply shortages continue
Schouten added that while demand remains strong for paddleboard, canoe and kayak rentals, sales of those items have begun to slow. “A year ago, you couldn’t buy a canoe, kayak or paddle board,” he said. “Now there are some available.” Bicycles and bicycle parts are a different story, and Schouten said she expects shortages to continue for at least another year. It’s the same situation just to the south in Chelsea, Que. Tim van Dyk, director of alpine skiing at Kunstadt Sports, said the local chain’s Chelsea location had seen demand go through the roof as early pandemic lockdowns left people with few options for recreation other than exploring the great outdoors. . Now things have hit “a plateau,” van Dyke said. Kunstadt Sports’ Tim van Dyke says lingering supply problems leave his business “at the mercy of the global supply chain”. (Alexander Behne/CBC) He points out that poor weather in the region to start the summer was a contributing factor. There were few good days for cycling, the most popular activity in the area during the summer months. The difficulty of obtaining supplies forced van Dyke to plan much further ahead than before. “We anticipate two years to secure these reserves,” he said. “[It’s] a huge challenge.” To make up for the lack of supply, van Dyke said the Chelsea location has increased its focus on bike service. Technician Austin Upper works on a bike at Kunstadt Sports in Chelsea, Que. The shop has increased its focus on service and repairs as the supply of new bikes has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. (Alexander Behne/CBC)
Interest in group activities is recovering
While demand for new gear may have waned, interest in exploring the outdoors remains strong and the desire for group activities is growing. Rob Burnfield, president of the Ottawa Outdoor Club, says memberships are returning to pre-pandemic numbers as people feel comfortable participating in group activities again. (Alexander Behne/CBC) The Ottawa Outdoor Club organizes a variety of activities for its members, including canoeing, biking, skating on the Rideau Canal and even city walks. Rob Burnfield, club president, said he would expect about 200 members in an average year. That number dropped to about 100 during the pandemic, he added, but is now recovering. “Our numbers are definitely up again,” he said. “We have people who are young, people who are old… People just seem to really enjoy it.”
