News Feed

September 19th, 2017

​Hello Members.
 
RE:  First Official Work Bee set for Saturday, September 23rd, 2017 at 10:00am
 
Just letting you know that we have been very fortunate with many people coming forward to help us at the hill in one way or another.  Not sure if any of you noticed, but last Friday we had Curt Steeves, one of our members, close up his Acklands-Grainger’s office so that himself and his workers came to our hill to do a massive workbee.  WOW that was super and a big Thank You to Curt and his crew.  What this means is there isn’t too much left to do but . . . . .
 
This Saturday I do need your help.  If you own a weed whacker, please bring it.  Please also bring work gloves as we are going need help in the following areas:

•   We are taking some trees down Saturday morning and will need to remove all the branches from the trees and place everything into a trailer.  This will require a few good strong people.  If you are proficient with a chain saw please bring that as well.
•   We have mowing around the lodge that needs to be looked after.  We have a lawn mower or two so if you can operate it, then super.
•   We have weed whacking around the lodge and parking lot areas.  Really want to tidy that up and make it look nice and presentable.
•   Also a big job is cleaning the windows of the ski lodge.  We have been egged so we need to clean that up.  If any of our members are professional window washers, or want to be J, please come out and help us.  The windows are high up and egg is always tough to get off so if not afraid of heights and have a strong arm, you are the candidate for this project.  It’s also been awhile since they were last cleaned.

 
If we have a good turnout I don’t anticipate that we will be long at the workbee.
 
Sure would be nice to see our members show as this is the time we need you.
 
Thank You.
 
Bernadette Kipping, President of HHWC

August Update 2017

Your Community ski hill run by volunteers
 
Hello members.  It’s been awhile since I last sent out an e-mail.  I thought it was time that I provided an update as to what has been happening at the Hart Ski Hill.  Nothing that you can actually see . . . . yet, but there have been lots and lots of meetings and tons of e-mails.  You may or may not have heard the rumours about the Hart bringing in Snowmaking.  Well that is true and our plan.  We are close but still have lots to do and this is where I need some help.  First though, let me tell you what has been going on behind the scene.
 
We have many things on the go.

1. Working with City.  They are doing an upgrade water line at the bottom of Winslow for us for free and there will be no monitoring of water while snowmaking is happening, this is huge.  Snowmaking will happen prior to the hill opening.  The plan is to run it for approx. two weeks solid (hopefully in late November when it is cold) 24/7, using one Silent Pole Cat gun (we would like to purchase another gun next year and the year after).  This gun is part of phase 1 and 2. 
2. Hydro is involved as we need to upgrade our electrical.  This requires a pumphouse to hold the electrical and pump.  We are in the midst of getting this building erected but currently running into a few issues.  Many people have come forward to make this possible but we are still needing someone to actually build the foundation for this 12 X 30 (wood building/donated-more info once it has been confirmed). If you are a carpenter this work will need to be done in September and completed by end of September.  If you can help us please contact myself at 250-617-3452. 
3. Pipes and Hydrants being laid midway up the hill.  This is still being worked out.
4. Terrain Park.  We are having the hill looked at by professional hill developers/terrain experts.  They will be doing some configuring of the hill and adding proper, safe terrain equipment so that our younger kids and teenagers can have a fun place to do their thing.  Ruckus is a huge sponsor on this project and the Terrain Park will be called the Ruckus Park.  They have committed to annually donating. 
5. Fundraising.  You will be very happy to know that any of the costs for any of the projects we are suggesting have all been donated.  Pat Bell has been instrumental in this.  We have applied for the Northern Development Initiative Trust Fund which is $30,000.00 for this year.  We will be applying again for the same amount next year.  This amount is allotted to snowmaking.   One snowgun (Silent Pole Cat) is $26,500.00.  Pat has also drummed up another $45,000.00 that will go towards all other expenses associated to the snowmaking, electrical, piping, pump etc.  We potentially have excavators, engineers all donating their time, this is also huge.  If anyone has experience in any of these areas please come forward.

It has been amazing with all the people that have recently come forward to help the Hart Ski Hill and all because somehow they have either started their skiing/boarding at the Hart or their kids go there or their grandkids.  It’s just a very heartfelt feeling when they come and talk to any one of us within the board.  I am so proud of this hill.  I know too that this is a lot of change in a very short period of time but sometimes new things are great things. 
 
I want to acknowledge and name some of the people that have come forward with ideas and to make this happen.
  They are:

• Pat Bell – Fund Raiser
• Stuart Gairns – Director/Treasurer of Prince George Ski Club (first approached the Hart Ski Hill)
• Eduard Hausot – President of Prince George Ski Club (first approached the Hart Ski Hill)
• Steve Dolman – Andritz Automation Ltd – Lead of the Electrical Team
• Darcy Bryant – Bryant Electric – part of the electrical team
• Scott and Peter Sherba – Westcana Electric – part of the electrical team
• Derek Kronebush – Opus International – Water and Pipe expert designer
• Jessica and James Hudson (President of PG Freestyle)  – New Terrain Park
• Jessica Hudson – Marketing for HHWC (Web Site)

So with all of this I am currently hoping and wondering if there is anyone in our membership who has time on their hands to help us with some important positions.
 
We are looking for the following:
 
Project manager/coordinator:

• Project manager to oversee phase 1 of the Hart hill snowmaking installation.
• Experience is a must.

Project includes:

• Installation of underground piping
• Erection of pump house
• Upgrades to electrical service
• Manager would be on hand to coordinate groups doing different parts of the installation, answer site specific questions and communicate progress to the board.

 
It’s also that time of the year for our annual work bees and we are looking for a:
Fall maintenance coordinator:

•     Oversee 1 or 2 days of work-bees (September) that include basic hill maintenance. This includes ensuring sufficient tools are on hand for the job such as weed whackers, power saws, trucks/trailers to dispose of debris as necessary.
•     Preferably someone who has been involved in past work bees.

 
Then we are hoping to find the following:
 
Phone callers:

•     1 – 4 people that are willing to call through the membership list to inform members of upcoming work bees and major events as directed by the board. This would be evening and weekend calling.

 
If you are able to find time to help us in any one of these positions, please contact myself at 250-617-3452 or bkipping@telus.net.  These are very important jobs and we need help.  Please come forward.  Thank you in advance.
 
I also want to ask that you share this information.  Spread the word, let them know that donations are welcome.  Snowmaking alone is roughly a $200,000.00 venture.  But we truly believe, after the few rough years that we have had, with very few days open in the past two years, that we all want a great year.  The basis of snowmaking is to make a firm, hard base, so that when the actual snow comes we are ready for tons of kids to ski or board and they won’t ski off all the snow and go down to dirt.  I also want to advise any of our members/neighbours that back on to the hill that we apologize in advance for the sewing machine sound (as that is what we were told a silent pole cat sound is) for that potential two week period that we are making snow 24/7.  Please be patient, please understand why we are doing this, and why it’s happening.  It will be well worth it in the end.  Our kids will be having so much fun, that all this time, effort, and money will have been put to great use.
 
Thanks for your time and again, please, please members come forward and help the rest of us out.  We need you.
 
Thank you very much.
 
Bernadette
 
Bernadette Kipping
President of HHWC