Greater Sudbury city council will decide on Aug. 13 whether to proceed with $773,400 in capital work at the Lively Ski HIll.
With the LIvely Ski Hill’s 1960s-era lift carrying the potential for “catastrophic failure,” city council’s decision will ultimately determine whether the ski hill remains operational.
Greater Sudbury city council pumped the brakes on capital work at the city’s two municipal ski hills earlier this year pending the results of a municipal report.
City Leisure Services Director Jeff Pafford tabled the report during Monday’s community and emergency services committee meeting, at which Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh punted it to the Aug. 13 city council meeting for a final decision.
“I can’t ignore the numbers in this report regarding our two ski hills,” she said. “I have difficulty spending $800,000 on a facility that is not being used by very many people.”
The city owns and operates two municipal ski hills including the Lively Ski Hill and Adanac Ski Hill.
Last year, the Adanac Ski Hill recorded a cost-recovery of 93 per cent ($555,164 in user fee income against an expense of $598,315, yielding a net tax levy impact of $43,151).
The Lively Ski Hill recorded a cost-recovery of 6.7 per cent ($15,846 in user fee income against an expense of $237,087, yielding a net tax levy impact of $221,241).
The Adanac Ski Hill recorded 10,653 total visits in the 2023/24 winter season (averaging 204.9 visits per operating day), while the Lively Ski Hill recorded 715 total visits (averaging 28.6 visits per operating day).
At 11,368 total visits in the 2023/24 season between the two ski hills, the city hit 19.1 per cent of their comfortable carrying capacity.
During Monday’s meeting, McIntosh recommended punting their decision to the Aug. 13 city council meeting instead of the July 9 meeting so members had adequate time to soak up the report and for the Lively Recreation Advisory Panel to weigh in.
The panel is currently working with the city on making recommendations on how to spend $4 million the city received from the 2021 sale of Meatbird Lake Park to Vale.
One option is for the almost $800,000 the city would otherwise spend on Lively Ski Hill capital projects, including the decades-old lift and chalet (whose components range from fair to very poor condition), to remain in the community and be added to the $4-million fund.
During the initial two rounds of public engagement, the city found outdoor swimming, waterfront or beach activities to be top priorities for investment consideration, according to Pafford’s report.
“Water activities (canoeing/kayaking), trails/hiking and a splash pad are the other most frequently mentioned priorities,” according to the report.
“Overwhelmingly, the feedback has been that the City should invest in a single, new recreational amenity. The community has also clearly indicated that a quality, new, modern facility would most encourage future use. Three locations have been identified including the Lively Ski Hill property, with the others being Anderson Farm and greenspace adjacent to the Lively Citizen Service Centre/Library.”
A request for proposal for professional services to provide conceptual plans and design services to analyze the three preferred locations is expected soon, for which city council has approved $400,000.
As for what to do with the Lively Ski Hill in the event city council does not proceed with capital projects, Pafford’s report noted that the Capreol Ski Hill’s operations discontinued in 2015, and has been used as an unofficial sliding hill since that time.
A tubing hill is another option, which Pafford said “is likely most suited for a third-party operator.”
The Aug. 13 city council meeting is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. It can be viewed in-person at Tom Davies Square or livestreamed by clicking here.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.