For all the social-media venom being directed Westlock County council’s way following its unanimous decision July 24 to shutter the Tawatinaw Ski Hill, there’s just as many nodding in silent approval while surveying the sorry state of the roads running past their farms.
Sadly, Tawatinaw’s fate has been sealed for a long time.
The results of last October’s plebiscite, which saw 53.4 per cent of county residents vote ‘yes’ to sell the 51-year-old facility regardless of whether it remained a ski hill, or was used for different purposes, can be counted as one of the final nails in the coffin.
But it’s wasn’t the first.
No, what ultimately accelerated this long, drawn-out process was the thing that was meant to ensure its long-term survival — namely the $2-million-plus chalet which was first talked about in 2012, almost done in 2014 before having to be physically moved due to flooding and finally opened to the public in 2015.
Beset with cost overruns from almost the start, the chalet, which ratepayers will continue to pay for until 2023, is what rankled the ire of many — especially those who maintain recreation shouldn’t be a municipal responsibility. Remember, county residents voted against contributing capital dollars to the Rotary Spirit Centre.
Of course there’s been the much ballyhooed 2015 lease-purchase agreement that was signed, then rescinded, plus the recent revelation that another $1.5 million will be needed for lifts and snow making equipment upgrades, in addition to the annual six-figure operating/maintenance costs.
It’s been one bad headline after another for a facility that truly didn’t deserve them.
So if you want to play the blame game, spin the wheel because everyone associated with the hill over the past decade is culpable in varying degrees.
But the questions begs: if the new chalet was never built, would we even be where we are today?
With an upcoming meeting by the county to further discuss the hill some hope remains, but it’s going to take some out-of-the-box thinking and creative accounting to keep the jewel of the valley from closing Oct. 1.
