Granville Island booming thanks to the warm weather

People have been flocking to Granville Island and other outdoor pursuits thanks to the springlike weather in Vancouver.

The number of visitors to the urban island doubled in January and February and with more sunshine forecast for the week ahead that trend looks set to continue.

Lisa Ono, Granville Island's manager of public affairs and programming, said about 60,000 people a day went to the island on the Feb. 21 weekend.

"Right now because of the weather being so good we're seeing double the numbers we'd normally get," Ono said, adding in the peak summer season about 75,000 to 80,000 visitors a day go to the island.

Sunshine keeps on coming

There is more sunshine in the forecast all week, with temperatures rising as the week continues, according to Environment Canada. 

"It's unfortunate that the ski season has been down so much this year, but for Granville Island it's had just the opposite effect," Ono said, adding sales are up in the shops, restaurants and theatres and more people are taking the ferries to get there.

Throughout the city people are getting a head start on spring and summer activities.

People are buying and tuning up their bicycles, said Alex Wickens, who works at Denman Bike Shop.

"We're seeing a lot of people coming out of the wood work earlier than usual," Wickens said.

And more people are also heading out to the greens, said Kevin Cucheron, general manager at Quilchena Golf and Country Club.

"There was a big spike," Cucheron said, adding the number of golfers jumped about 25 percent recently.

"The numbers aren't typical," he said. "It's more indicative of later in the spring and summer."