Dreaming of skiing? Not in Montreal, as Sud-Ouest borough nixes city's only urban ski hill

Montrealers who want to take the Metro to the slopes aren't likely to get that chance next winter, with the borough responsible for the only ski hill accessible by public transit refusing to approve the continued operation of La Pente à Neige.

Much to the dismay of the non-profit organization that launched the three-year pilot project, the Sud-Ouest borough announced last week the project won't be renewed. 

Maxellende Pycke, co-founder of La Pente à Neige, said the news took her by surprise. Organizers felt the pilot project went well, she said, and they had already started developing plans for next season. 

"We sent [the borough] the documents with the recommendations for next year, what we did in the last three years and we never heard about it after that," Pycke told CBC Montreal's Daybreak. 

La Pente à Neige was set up in the park near Angrignon Metro in Ville-Émard in December 2017. It consisted of several ski hills, as well as areas for tubing and other winter sports. 

"Pente à Neige ​​​​is the only ski station accessible by Metro in North America. Within the last three years, we welcomed about 100,000 visitors," Pycke said. 

Skiing, tubing among options — but not Pente à Neige

The borough is asking residents to fill out an online survey providing feedback on the types of activities they'd like to see in Ignace-Bourget Park next winter season. 

In its online survey, the borough includes the options of skiing lessons and tubing, as well as an outdoor skating rink at the park. It's just that none of these would be run by La Pente à Neige. 

In a release, the borough said the project would not be renewed because of safety concerns, complaints about parking from residents on nearby streets and issues of social acceptability. 

"We are now better equipped to work on a new formula adapted to the needs and demands of our population," borough Mayor Benoit Dorais said in the release. 

Pycke said the only safety issues she's ever witnessed at the site were in the "free sliding" zones which were owned by the city and not operated by the non-profit. 

She said her organization was willing to work out any issues the city might have had with the site. 

Pycke said the non-profit was launched with the goal of making activities such as skiing and tubing accessible families on lower incomes and for people who do not have a car. 

Though lessons were not free, the organization offered discounts to Sud-Ouest residents and offered financial aid to low-income families. 

"It's mainly for beginners. We welcome all types of families, and we also welcome a large [number] of newcomers to Canada," said Pycke. 

"It's really a place for people to discover winter." 

According to the organization, La Pente à Neige has received a total of $2.9 million in public and private funding, roughly seven per cent of which was provided by the borough. 

La Pente à Neige has started a petition with the goal of giving residents a place to express that they'd like the ski hill to stick around another season. So far, it has garnered more than 3,000 signatures.