Team members from Lake Country Co-op, Prairie North Co-op and Beeland Co-op were part of staining the log maintenance building at Wapiti Ski Hill. (Facebook/Lake Country Coop)

By Angie Rolheiser

Ski Hill

Wapiti Ski Resort benefits from Co-op communities in full colour program

Aug 6, 2021 | 4:00 PM

A much-needed facelift for buildings at the Wapiti Valley Ski and Board Resort north of Melfort.

Stain was donated for the maintenance building and chalet by Co-op as part of their communities in Full Colour program.

Chair of the Wapiti Regional Park board Dennis Wiebe said as they continue to raise funds for their reopening efforts, any help is appreciated.

“It is probably something that we would not have done this year, but it was something that was needed and would had to have been done in the future,” Wiebe said.

Not only was the stain donated but staff from Lake Country Co-op, Prairie North Co-op and Beeland Co-op supplied their time to apply it to the maintenance building. The Chalet will be stained soon.

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This work takes a weight off for the community based, non-profit organization as fundraising is underway to open the ski hill this fall.

In May, the board launched a $100,000 fundraising campaign to recover costs lost due to the closure brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Having to close down in March of 2020 and not operating last season, it has been a difficult stretch,” Wiebe said. “To lose two years revenue, it is hard to make that up.”

Wiebe did say that there some funds in place to open but it hasn’t come from fundraising alone. Some funds have come through a GoFundMe page and the board members plan to approach corporate sponsors, and a 50/50 lottery is also in the works.

“We are trying some different things and we have been able to take advantage of some COVID related government programs to keep us going,” Wiebe said. “Even though you aren’t operating, you can’t shut down completely, there are still bills coming in.”

Fundraising will be ongoing even after the doors open again to ease the financial strain.

The Wapiti Ski Hill typically hosts over 25,000 skiers per year and employs anywhere from 40 to 60 part-time people in the winter season.

“We have ski instructors, lift operators, registration, pro shop, kitchen, and ski run maintenance workers so it is quite the busy place in the winter,” Wiebe said.

The ski hill at Wapiti has been in operation for over 35 years.

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angie.rolheiser@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser