Whitehorse ski hill could be sustainable, says consultant
Expert tells 'Sima summit' attendees operational costs would need to be reduced
A recreation consultant says Whitehorse’s Mount Sima ski hill could be sustainable if operation costs are reduced, but the facility will still need funding from government.
Kevin Grogan, manager of Vista Ridge, a ski hill and recreation site in Fort McMurray, Alta., said the Alberta community experienced the same growing pains Mount Sima is now suffering.
"You have a facility that would be the envy of a lot of small communities," he said.
"I think that the community has to acknowledge it's an important part of the recreation for the region and treat it as you would the other facilities like rinks and swimming pools, and say we do have to support this but at what level do we have to support this."
Grogan was a guest speaker at Thursday night's Mount Sima summit meeting.
Thirty-three people attended, including government representatives, city councillors and the Mount Sima board of directors.
They'll meet again next week to consider solutions to the ski hill's funding needs.