Echo Valley planning to reopen first time since the start of COVID-19 pandemic
West Michigan got hammered by a winter snow storm Christmas Eve and some of Christmas Day. While it caused a headache for some, one business was relying on more snow to open its doors.
The folks at Echo Valley in Kalamazoo were hoping the storm that pounded West Michigan would dump more snow than it did. While they hoped to reopen Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, a representative later said they didn't have enough snow on the ground to open.
An Echo Valley manager said they were staying hopeful for a quick reopening.
“We need three inches of snow and I don’t think we met it yet," Melody Stirk said. "The snow is just barely covering the ground and we just need a couple more inches."
Once the winter sports park did reopen, it would be their first opportunity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stirk said staff was putting a plan together to make sure people could still have fun during the pandemic safely, but she said things would look a lot different.
“We had to go in and rearrange how people are going to be coming into the lodge and we just realized that we are going to have to serve them differently. So, the food is going to be take out, they are going to be eating outdoors versus being inside. That has been a real challenge,” Stirk said.
Staff members were asking for patience as they figured out how to keep everyone safe this season.
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This story has been updated with the latest information from Echo Valley management.
