Moose Springs Resort Up for Auction

By 250 News

Moose Springs Resort  photo courtesy Ritchie Brothers Auction

One of the properties with a rich history in the region, will be on the auction block this summer.  Moose Springs Resort will be offered for sale in an unreserved Ritchie Brothers auction July 13^th.  

In its previous life, it was Baldy Hughes, initially an American run radar station built as the Cold War was gaining momentum.  Baldy Hughes was part of the Pinetree Line of radar stations that formed the early warning system of possible missile attacks from the Soviet Union.  Construction of the site started in ’52 and was completed in ’55.

Then in 1963, the American flag was lowered, and March 1 of ’63, the Royal Canadian Air Force was put in command of the site, a command that continued for another 25 years, until the base closed in 1988.

Baldy Hughes/Moose Springs Resort, has been part of the life of the Prince George area for more than half a century. And on July 13^th, another page will be written

Purchased by Terry and Sheila Beeton in 1996 from a real estate group, Terry says July 13^th will be a bitter sweet day.  “We’re happy to see that it will be sold to someone who can hopefully move it forward” says Terry “But it will also be a sad day as well, we love it here.”

The Beeton’s had hoped to make Moose Springs into a world class resort.  They put a lot of money, and sweat into the project.  Then, as funds were reduced and health issues developed the couple refocused and made the former base available for special retreat events.  Family reunions, convention get aways, weddings, conference retreats and special training events, all found their  way to  Moose Springs Resort, in fact, it will soon host a forestry training camp for two weeks.

For Ritchie Brothers, this is a very special property.  It has allowed the real estate division (now about a year old) to really use its world-wide connections.  Spokesman Kieran Holm says they will have a brochure on the property making the rounds in Europe in the next week or so, and they have already had a steady interest from all over B.C. and Alberta. Kieran has no idea what to expect for a price on the property. “It’s so hard to judge,  there was a property in 100 Mile House which  local real estate agents pegged at $75 thousand,  the  B.C. Assessment was for $140 thousand and it sold at auction for $375 thousand, so who knows, there is so much at Moose Springs, it’s hard to imagine how much it will go for.” Holm is sure of one thing,  this facility couldn’t be rebuilt for $10 million.

The property  really is a full community complete with  Inn, Dorm, restaurant, pub, banquet halls, garage, carpenter shop, general store, fire hall, ball diamond, tubing hill, mobile home pads and full service campsite all situated on about 160 acres.

It also offers history. This black and white photo is from the www.pinetree.org collection and shows the  site circa 1954

While no one wants to limit ideas for the property, Holm expects it will be purchased by someone who sees it having a place in the hospitality industry “There is so much there” says Holm “the buyer is only limited  by their imagination.”

One other bonus, Terry and Sheila have offered to stay on and mange it all.  Terry knows it inside out “When we bought this place, every pipe was broken” says Terry, “I replaced each and every one, so I know this place inside out”.   Right now, Terry and Sheila are working hard to make sure the property is at its very best when the open houses start in June.  Then they will keep their fingers crossed on July 13^th as the auction sets a new page in the property’s history. 

Terry’s got work to do, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t nervous about July 13^th,  “It’s exciting,  but at the same time its scary.”

Not only will the auction happen here in Prince George, but there will be a  simulcast in Vancouver.   Full details will be announced soon.

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