麻豆社区

A tumultuous fiscal year for Mount Sima ended with the Whitehorse ski hill recording a surplus.

Don Wilson, general manager of the hill鈥檚 operations last season, said the facility had about $101,000 in the bank at its year-end in June.

鈥淭here was still some bills coming in for repairs to one of the Snowcats and there鈥檚 ongoing expenses, so to say that was pure profit is not correct,鈥濃�圵ilson explained today. 鈥淏ut they did end up with that in the bank account at the end of the fiscal year.鈥�

Last year, Mount Sima welcomed more than 21,000 visitors, according to Wilson鈥檚 calculations.

But the hill鈥檚 success remains susceptible to weather. Last season鈥檚 snowfall was dismal, he said.

鈥淟ike anything else, it needs community support,鈥� said Wilson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a well-used and worthwhile facility.... It鈥檚 a viable operation, given the right set of circumstances.鈥�

Wilson had been involved with Sima since it opened, and agreed to manage the hill last year, noting its impending closure would have had long-lasting repercussions.

鈥淚f the hill had closed, even for a year, it would be extremely difficult and more expensive to get it open,鈥� he said.

鈥淚鈥坈ome from a small town in Manitoba where the hill closed and they鈥檝e been trying to open it for 15 years. It鈥檚 a frustrating exercise.鈥�

Cindy Chandler is the new general manager of the hill.

The Friends of Mount Sima held their annual general meeting at the hill鈥檚 Last Run鈥圠ounge Wednesday.

Group president Laurie Henderson said about 50 people attended the evening session, and four new members were added to last year鈥檚 board membership of five.

鈥淧eople are interested and want to help, so that鈥檚 great,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 think everybody鈥檚 feeling quite positive. The turnout at the AGM鈥坵as really supportive of that.鈥�

Meanwhile, the financial surplus incurred by the hill helped pay for summer staff and fall preparations, she said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e ahead of where we were last summer,鈥� Henderson added.

鈥淩unning a ski hill is an expensive proposition. We were very successful last year.

鈥淥ur success is going to depend upon that continued community support 鈥� whether that鈥檚 from government or sponsors, businesses and members. Long-standing operation of the hill is tied 150 per cent to the level of community support.鈥�

The board hopes the hill will be ready to open by Dec. 5.

Meanwhile, the future of the WildPlay adventure course that operates on-site during the summer isn鈥檛 so bright.

Rich Thompson, CEO鈥坥f Northern Vision Development, one of the investors in the facility, said there are still a couple of options on the table for the Monkido course that lost money this summer.

鈥淚f it were to operate like it did this summer, it wouldn鈥檛 be in business very long,鈥� he told the Star. 鈥淚t falls now on the investor group to look to whether they can recoup their investment by selling off the asset perhaps.

鈥淭here鈥檚 still a debate going on as to whether that鈥檚 the most sensible approach or not,鈥� said Thompson. 鈥淏ut certainly I would say that鈥檚 a logical alternative.鈥�

Continuing to operate it under an alternate model for profit is also an option, he said.