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From the ground up

Excitement, apprehension greet the birth of Revelstoke Mountain Resort Alison Lapshinoff discovers

By Alison Lapshinoff

Comfortably situated between the Selkirk and Monashee mountain ranges, flanked on all sides by lofty peaks, Revelstoke sits neatly on the banks of the mighty Columbia River, eagerly poised for change. As the morning fog clears the way for a new day, the small town sputters to life. On a prime piece of real estate, Mountain View School, that distinguished pile of bricks, regally takes in her captivating river view. Beyond, Mount Begbie proudly commands respect. Children frolic on the remnants of winter’s towering snow banks, oblivious to the natural beauty of their surroundings while young parents stand in clusters, hot coffee in gloved hands, amicably chatting as the nearby river flows lazily on its course.

Listening closely, one can make out the distant roar of sleds traversing Frisbee Ridge and Boulder Mountain. Overhead, a Canadian Mountain Holidays helicopter is taking its first group of European skiers for their morning heli-drop.

In town, an assorted collection of shiny, full-size pickup trucks, complete with sleds in tow, are warming their engines, preparing for the day’s adventures in the backcountry. A train’s whistle pierces the frigid morning air and soon the hulking beast is seen snaking its way over the trestle spanning the broad Columbia River toward the centre of town, Rogers Pass and beyond. It will be the first of many.

Neatly tucked away in the corner of Revelstoke, central but unobtrusive, the timber mill is busily producing lumber, the town’s bread and butter for years. And preparing for their climb over the mountain passes to come, truckers driving the Trans-Canada stop for a brief cup of coffee and perhaps a plate of eggs and bacon from the strip of chain restaurants flanking the highway.

All is as it has been for years. Except this spring there is a palpable vibe of anticipation coursing through the town, an energy felt by young and old, as the fruits of a decades-old plan are finally coming into being.

After extensive review by the provincial and municipal governments, the public and First Nations, Premier Gordon Campbell announced on March 17, 2005 that agreements had been signed, giving the go-ahead to a massive undertaking: the construction of a billion dollar, all-season resort at the base of Mount MacKenzie in Revelstoke. However, skeptics and nay-sayers remained. Until now.

On Jan. 16 this year, over 1,000 community members braved the frigid temperatures and lightly falling snow to gather downtown, gratefully accepting free hot beverages and hamburgers, while waiting to hear the announcement that would change the face of their home forever. The mood was one of jovial excitement as music played over the loudspeakers. At the fringes of the throng, handing out small flags adorned with the brand new logo of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, were a new breed in town: the smiling, snappily dressed public relations type.

The speakers included an emotional mayor, Mark McKee, developer Don Simpson, chairman of the Simpson Property Group, Norm MacDonald and Kevin Kreuger, two regional MLAs, and straight from Ottawa, Senator Larry Campbell. Surrounded by residents and members of local community groups, they spoke of a monumental plan that would bring economic vitality, a younger demographic and countless job opportunities in the tourism and construction industries to Revelstoke — a town whose economic backbone has historically been supported by mining, logging, the railroad and, more recently, a small tourism sector catering mostly to sledders, heli-skiers and backcountry enthusiasts.

“The longest skiable vertical in North America is coming!” The-soon-to-be resort will boast 1,829 metres (6,000 feet) of vertical, and with Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s acquisition of Selkirk Tangiers Heli-skiing this spring, over 500,000 acres of skiable terrain on the doorstep of a resort community that will include an 18-hole golf course, ski-in ski-out condos, luxury hotels, a village heli-centre and a network of multi-use trails. At build-out in 15 years time, Mount MacKenzie is slated to have 100 ski runs, 25 chairlifts and more than 5,000 homes at its base.

Project developer Don Simpson promised “steel on the mountain” by next winter, as a $22 million contract with Leitner Poma Canada had been signed, giving the go-ahead for the construction of a gondola and high speed quad which will replace the aging lift at what is currently Powder Springs Resort. Phase I of the new gondola will be up and running in time for the 2007-08 ski season.

In addition to the new lift installation, this spring also saw the first release of condos for sale, 60 of them, ranging from 475 square foot studios starting at upwards of $300,000 to a 2,100 square foot penthouse priced at close to $2 million. Most locals consider these prices to be astronomical. In fact, a lot is happening in Revelstoke’s real estate market lately and despite overwhelming community support for the development, it’s causing an audible murmur of discontent.

The Revelstoke of today has two faces: one is that of the elder generation, the old timers, the long time locals. These are the people who have spent their lives here, raised families, started businesses, worked at the mill or for the railroad. These are the families that, years ago, purchased their homes for a song and are now watching in astonishment as their assessed values soar past the half million dollar mark. As the children of these folks approach their 20s and 30s many watch in despair as the window of opportunity for purchasing a house in their hometown diminishes.

Wages in the service industry are low in Revelstoke. Unlike some well-established resort towns where dishwashers can expect to earn twice the standard minimum wage plus benefits, here, $8 an hour for scrubbing pots is the norm. And wages for other positions are calculated accordingly. While rent is still cheap and the cost of living quite low, the price of real estate is soaring, and locals can only watch helplessly as out-of-town investors buy them out of the market.

The other face of Revelstoke is that of the newcomer, the young partier or new family, the athlete, outdoor enthusiast and adrenaline junkie. Some come from desk jobs in nearby cities, others from places like Banff and Whistler, seeking the lifestyle they crave at a price they can afford. Many would like a home in the mountains where having a family is more than a fleeting notion, employment is abundant, or will be, and buying a house or business is within the realm of possibility. Or was….

“Don’t sacrifice the community for the resort.” Former Whistlerites and GLC employees of four years, Jason and Tasha Worby likely echoed the sentiments of many with that one simple statement.

Newly married, the young couple heard opportunity knock in Revelstoke in May of 2005 and took the plunge by purchasing the Black Forest Inn and turning it into the Great White North, a restaurant just five kilometres west of town and popular with the locals. The couple’s positive energy is infectious as they tell me over coffee at The Modern, a busy downtown bakery, how they heard about the proposed resort through friends more than two years ago. They subsequently fell in love with the town’s “good vibe” and “positive energy”. Although the nightlife is still somewhat lacking, and dining options rather slim, change is on the horizon, with new businesses opening up, including what is slated to be a “world class sushi restaurant” which has been mysteriously cloaked under a blue tarp for months while renovations are completed. A sign on a shuttered downtown shop front promises a new skate shop opening soon, and rumors that a wine bar is in the works are permeating the town. Jason and Tasha hope that building the new village near but distinctly separate from the original downtown core will help Revelstoke keep its friendly, small town feel, while at the same time, bringing renewed energy, young entrepreneurs and more tourists to town.

From Revelstoke’s long time locals of all ages, one hears the same sentiment repeated again and again. They are happy to see new faces, welcome them, feel that Revelstoke needs the fresh, young blood and are pleased to see so many new families and youth moving into town. As a newcomer myself, I was pleasantly surprised at how welcome the community made me, a stranger in a tightly knit town of about 8,000, feel.

Essentially, most of the newbies are drawn by the resort, which residents overwhelmingly support. However, there are some mixed emotions out there, especially from those not already in the booming real estate market. In fact, some of these young, prospective home buyers who have spent their life here, bitterly contemplate leaving town, moving somewhere else where tourism hasn’t driven house prices beyond their reach. Which raises the question: Is a resort that still exists only on paper already displacing Revelsoke’s locals?

Local bartender and cosmetic tattooist Kim Remesz, young, energetic and positive, feels incredibly lucky to have bought a small home before the “big announcement” was made and looks forward to an influx of well-heeled tourists looking to have their eyebrows accented and lips made fuller.

“It’s nice to see so many young families moving to town,” she confided to me over a beer at the Regent Inn, one of Revelstoke’s well established businesses. “Because recently the population has been declining due to a loss of jobs in forestry and the railway. But it would be a shame to see Revelstoke lose its friendly atmosphere.”

Lori Townsend, the vivacious, blond manager of Revelstoke’s only strip bar, has spent the last 17 years here, and her sentiments are similar.

“I have mixed feelings about the development. I would like to see downtown Revelstoke stay the same; friendly, no crowding and not much traffic. I think the resort will be good for the economy and local businesses but I am afraid to see Revelstoke turn into a resort town like Banff or Whistler.”

Lori’s attitude is naturally positive and upbeat, but her bitterness over the inflated real estate prices is evident.

When asked how she feels about the resort, one of Revelstoke’s long-time cooks who has raised her family here and is now looking forward to retirement replies simply: “I’m scared.”

But she does concede that the town needs something; that something needs to be done to counter the aging demographic.

Their sentiments are repeated by countless others. There is fear that housing prices will spiral out of control, that locals will be pushed out by high prices and Revelstoke will lose its small-town appeal, where people greet one another on the street with a smile and folks are eager to help out a stranger. However, no one has an answer to the affordability quandary.

Downtown Revelstoke is almost a step back in time, where heritage buildings have been lovingly restored and the simple Victorian houses, many built early last century to house railroad employees, line the streets shoulder to shoulder. Some look like potential teardowns, but others, with a little love, have been restored beautifully and add to the unique charm of downtown. At present, the municipality has close to 310 heritage buildings documented, many of which bear a smart looking plaque that proudly displays their status.

MacKenzie Avenue, the wide, tree-lined main street, is flanked by small, locally owned shops and cafes that in the summertime take advantage of the broad sidewalks to set up sun-drenched patios that boast captivating views of the surrounding peaks. But to arrive in town on a Sunday is to be left out in the cold, for almost all of downtown is locked up tight and the atmosphere eerily quiet. Although this seems an old fashioned notion, a wander past the real estate offices brings one back to the present, where almost every listing is boldly stamped in black with the word “SOLD”, an indication of things to come.

And right in the centre of things, and open on Sundays, Revelstoke Mountain Resort and Sotheby’s have set up a smart new office and presentation centre where the curious public can wander in and see an intricate model of Mount MacKenzie as it will look in 15 years time, a skiers’ playground offering every outdoor pursuit imaginable on the doorstep of one’s luxury condo or hotel suite. Staff from the office can often be seen around town, identifiable by their smart blue wind breakers adorned with the brand new logo of Revelstoke Mountain Resort.

Revelstoke’s location is undeniably good. To the east, the national parks of the Rocky Mountains that already attract hordes of international tourists; and to the south the Kootenays, densely forested, sparsely populated and quietly alluring with all her remote hot springs, still undiscovered by the masses. The area is already an outdoor enthusiast’s playground, with abundant lakes and rivers, national parks with hiking trails to remote cabins in the alpine. There is also a developed cross country ski area on Mount MacPherson, boasting over 20 kilometres of groomed trails and access to backcountry touring terrain.

And now Revelstoke is going to try her luck at being an internationally recognized ski destination. Whether or not this epic undertaking is seen through to completion remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Whistler has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt the ability of a resort to rise to international status in just a few short decades.



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