Valemount, BC –It has been a couple of months now since the Province of B.C. approved an Interim agreement for  a year round ski resort on Mt. Arthur Meighan near Valemount.

 

Last week, representatives from the Regional District of Fraser Fort George attended a public information session on the proposal in Valemount.  

 

Valemount Mayor Andru McCracken says the proponent is keeping a low profile on this project primarily because of   what has happened during past proposals. “The last time there was a major development proposed there was wild land speculation” says McCracken. He says he doesn’t see anything wrong with people making money on real estate, but speculation can scare off developers.

 

The proponents   are trying to develop a resort they   say would offer  "the only substantial summer-skiing on the continent, the only high-elevation alpine glacier viewpoint in North America, (and) the largest winter vertical drop in the world". 

 

The base development includes 2,000 bed units and the initial estimate for the whole project is in the $800 million dollar range, an amount  Valemount Mayor Andru McCracken says he has difficulty  imagining.  He says the   proponents are just  now developing their  geo-technical  details.   There has yet to be a  master development agreement  finalized and that will require input  from all stakeholders including the village, the Regional District, First Nations and the Province.   He says  he is hoping all  the pieces can be in place

 

McCracken says if the development comes to fruition, it could have a significant impact to small communities throughout the Robson Valley, especially at a time when housing prices throughout the area are affordable.  He says while he supports the proposed  development,  "It wouldn’t serve as many people as Whistler but it would  have way more area, and way more snow than Whistler" and that’s why the success of this  proposed development  "would be a  real coup."

 

On the other hand,  he says Valemount is a wonderful place to  live right now,  and its future doesn’t hinge  on whether or not this proposal  moves forward "We are seeing an influx of 25-30 year olds, coming back to the community, enrolling their kids in the elementary school and being able to afford  a piece of property and envisioning  a future in Valemount which to me, is remarkable. "   He says while there are high hopes for this  development,  Valemount isn’t putting all  of its eggs in one basket  "as a community , we need to  live in our current reality.  We are  a village of a thousand people, we live here really well, we have  tremendous services, lets focus on keeping those services so we can live here."  Still,  McCracken this development would be  icing on, what is already,  a very  nice cake.