B.C. village building community ski hill near Jasper National Park after large project delayed
Valemount Glacier Destination project was approved by the B.C. government in 2017
A B.C. village neighbouring Jasper National Park has decided to build its own ski hill as a provincially approved project remains stalled.
The village of Valemount hopes that its ski hill will attract Edmonton tourists to the tiny community of 1,000 residents as the Valemount Glacier Destination (VGD) project, which was approved by the B.C government in 2017, faces challenges related to inflation, construction costs and pandemic supply chain disruptions.
The proposed resort would be located in the Premier Range of the Cariboo Mountains, west of the village.
Lack of investment into the VGD project is proving to be a significant issue, according to village Mayor Owen Torgerson.
The village's smaller community ski hill will be designed with a 300-metre handle tow rope. The hill could be built upward along the mountain trajectory and could potentially be expanded to build larger developments in the future
"Anyone from the Edmonton area who has come to Valemount has probably come here for snowmobiling or for some sort of getaway," Joseph Nusse, president of Valemount Ski Society, said in an interview with CBC.
Nusse hopes that the community ski hill, which will be located on the site of the proposed VGD project, will be ready to open in time for next year's holiday season.
"Marmot basin is the closest to Valemount — that's an hour and a half away in Jasper — of course, it's quite a drive," Nusse said about trying to make skiing more accessible locally while still attracting others who may be interested.
"We just figure it's time to get up and go in and get the young kids skiing while we're waiting for larger development."
In a statement to CBC, "VGD continues to work to secure the financial and development partners needed for the project to initiate construction," according to Corinna Filion, spokesperson for B.C.'s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport.
"Mountain Resorts Branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport is also working with the Valemount Ski Society to initiate a community ski area within the proposed VGD resort's tenure area while the VGD proponent works to complete partnerships necessary to develop the resort proposal."
Valemount Glacier Destination project
The VGD project was designed as a year-round ski hill and resort with an elevation of 3,000 metres, making it the largest vertical drop in North America.
The project was approved after the province finalized and signed a master development agreement with the company Valemount Glacier Destinations.
The first phase of the project received an investment of approximately $100 million from the company and its capital partners.
Other parties like Simpcw First Nation have also expressed support for the project throughout multiple stages.
In a news release from 2017, the B.C. government estimates the project would create 800 full-time jobs surrounding the construction and operation of the resort.
With files from Liam Harrap