A new chapter has begun in the tale of the Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill.
With a brand new chalet and a phenomenal wish list of future features, Pine Valley Resort is now open for business.
While much remains unchanged from the hill’s previous incarnation — 27 kilometres of cross-country ski trails and 24 downhill runs — several new features, including a special zone for snow tubing, add a new sheen to the decades-old ski hill.
At the forefront of most taxpayers’ minds, though, is the facility’s multi-million dollar chalet, which some, including now-ex county councillor Jim Wiese, who resigned over the hill’s sale, value at over $4 million.
Westlock County reached a lease/purchase agreement for the facility to DK Consulting for $2.2 million last year before a single skier had set foot in the new building.
But the controversy has done nothing to stymie interest from local skiers. The resort had 250 skiers opening weekend, Jan. 9 and staff expect interest to continue unabated.
“We had a very busy day, with approximately 150 skiers on Saturday and 103 on Sunday,” said Pine Valley manager Geri Savage.
The chalet is designed to accommodate around 150 skiers at peak usage.
Climbing attendance has given Pine Valley’s 20 odd staff the opportunity to build a new terrain park and downhill tubing facility, but most importantly, the influx of attendees has provided a test for the chalet’s new kitchen.
“We’re offering full meals and we’re tentatively opening our fine dining side by Feb. 3,” Savage said.
Currently, the chalet serves breakfast and lunch, but Edmonton chef Noah Gado is currently working on a fine-dining menu.
Gado, a recent graduate from NAIT’s culinary arts program, has worked for nearly a decade at some of Edmonton’s finest dining establishments, including XIX Nineteen, Under the High Wheel and Woodwork.
“We’re trying to keep [the menu] as local as possible,” Gado said.
“There’s lamb in the area and there’s beef in the area so we’re trying to promote locals, keep things very simple but elegant.”
Skiers will have access to a beverage bar opening mid-February.
“We’re using coffee from Edmonton’s Iconoclast Koffiehuis,” said house barista Elliot Kerr.
“We’ll be using them for espresso drinks, lattes and cappuccinos.”
The chalet’s dining area also doubles as a rental facility for private functions, and converts easily to a boardroom.
DK envisions the space as a multi-use facility, Savage explained, and a schedule of summer events and features is currently under revision.
Under the helm of new owner Dom Kriangkum, Savage said she expected new features to be added regularly to both the chalet and infrastructure, not just at the ski hill, but throughout the rest of the Tawatinaw valley.
“Dom’s quite keen on keeping the hill up to date with new activities,” she said.
