It's Summer But Sure Doesn't Seem Like It
By SUSAN GOODMAN
Updated 9:10 AM EST, Tue, Jul 7, 2009
Where's summer, is a question people are asking themselves across Connecticut.
The lack of much summer-like weather also has business owners worrying about how they will make out economically this season.
John Kelley Jr. owns and manages the Portland Golf Club. A public golf course doesn't net a huge profit margin to begin with, but when you factor in more than 20 days of rain, profits are even lower.
Kelley said he cannot remember a June this wet in 25 years and it is making it more difficult for groundskeepers to keep up with mowing and they are worried about fungus.
The rain has also taken a toll on boaters. They not only face expensive costs for fuel, repairs and docking fees, but also have not had much prime boating time.
For some boaters, the holiday weekend was the first chance to get out on the water.
“(Boaters) are pretty resilient. They're used to bad weather. Once they get their boats in the water, they use them whether it’s raining or not. It's getting them in the water that’s tough,” Kenneth Gouin, who owns the Portland Riverside Marina, said.
No one has been hit harder by the persistent rain than nurseries.
Wheeler Farm Gardens is only open from May through Aug. 1. Now that the rays are back in the sky and customers coming in, Bill Larson just hopes summer is finally here and the grass is not the only green he sees.
"Weather is everything in our business. Weather determines whether they come and buy,” Larson said.
There is rain in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday and business owners are nervous about that as well.
First Published: Jul 6, 2009 10:47 AM EST
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