Chad Jenson of New Dawn Developments was recently recognised as the top business person in Cranbrook this year by the Kootenay Business Magazine. Chad and his team have received numerous awards and accolades for their professional work, which includes the construction of Mountain Spirit Resort. Click here to read the full article.
One of New Dawn Development’s current projects is the construction of the City of Kimberley’s Conference Centre and Athlete Training Centre which is just 200m from Mountain Spirit Resort. Construction will be completing for opening in October this year and many bookings have been confirmed ranging from company conferences to weddings.
Spring is finally here. Natural Attraction on the Platzl wanted to take this opportunity to keep you updated on what is happening this spring at Natural Attraction, so here it is:
Our 2nd annual NATURAL ATTRACTION SPRING FASHION SHOW and DANCE PARTY is coming up soon on Saturday, May 8th, 7pm at CENTRE 64. Tickets are $15 per person, including the fashion show, yummy snacks and the dance party. A no host bar will be available as well as Tarot Card Readings by Tanya Lester. ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS EVENT GO TOWARDS THE EXPANSION OF CENTRE 64!!! So come on out and join the fun! The tickets are available at Natural Attraction.
Tanya Lester will also be available for Tarot Card and Tea Leaf Readings on Wednesday, May 5th at Natural Attraction. Call 250-427-4349 or email the Natural Attraction team at naturalattraction@primus.ca to book your appointment.
The Kimberley Conference & Athlete Training Centre was named number 1 state-of-the-art conference venue by Alberta Venture Magazine. Click here to read the article.
Kimberley Conference Centre & Athlete Training Centre
This state of the art, dual purpose facility is the first of its kind to be constructed in North America. The building will be comprised of 24,000 square feet of space over two levels. One level offers multiple meeting and conference set up options. The second will be a ski-in sports training centre, designed with Paralympic athletes at the forefront, and of course, fully accessible.
Some questioned the location in Kimberley Alpine Resort rather than downtown, but doesn’t it make total sense? For meetings, conferences, weddings and other events the conference facility, which can hold up to 500 people seated theatre style, is located at the base of one of BC’s largest ski resorts, with superb accommodation and amenities at Mountain Spirit Resort located just a few hundred metres away, in addition to a variety of other accommodation options. The future spa will offer an ideal outlet for attendees and athletes alike to soothe aching muscles, or simply relax and rejuvenate. The resort offers dining and entertainment options however the downtown core is only a few minutes by car or public transit. Venturing to the platzl visitors can walk and enjoy the many independent coffee shops and restaurants and browse the variety of stores.
Kimberley is clearly entering a new era with the Conference Centre and Athlete Training Centre opening in October.
The next morning was bound to be great skiing. Kimberley Alpine Resort doesn’t get skied out in a day. And there was a possibility it had snowed more too!
And it had.
So we had more freshies in the sun. Magma was groomed, Flapper wasn’t but was excellent. Lots of soft fresh snow for all to enjoy.
It was also the first annual Beer Festival. It turned out to be a great fun family day with fun activities for kids, live music inside and outside in the plaza. International beer was available (I noticed the Belgian blonde beer Leffe in the plaza!).
Here’s to more freshies in the sun before the end of the season!
It was like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid. Instead of rushing to the Christmas tree to see if Santa had been, my hubby kept peeking under the blinds to see if it was still “powing” outside. And it was!
By 8:30am I was in the line up for Kimberley Alpine Resort’s high speed quad.
I knew where I was headed… to the Easter chair by the fastest possible route (Rung).
I was third in the line up.
Being a snow boarder, it usually takes longer to get my bindings sorted when I get off the quad.
I’d have to be super fast not to lose my prime position in the lift line for the Easter.
Thankfully most of the skiers were excited for skiing the main in powder and weren’t planning on the runs with a steeper pitch on the “back side”.
A couple of minutes later I was on the Easter Chair, panting and excited after having floated my way down Rung and Caper.
We’re delighted to share the following news with you:
For Immediate Release
December 2, 2009
CBT SUPPORTS FLY YXC EFFORTS TO BOOST REGIONAL ECONOMY Delta Airlines continues service into and out of Cranbrook; benefits for residents and business.
Supporters of the FLY YXC Alliance Society gathered for CBT
(Cranbrook) - Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is providing the FLY YXC Alliance Society with up to $300,000 over the next two years to secure Delta Airlines for service into and out of Cranbrook.
“We are pleased to support the FLY YXC Alliance Society in continuing the Delta Airlines service as it will have a positive impact in the community and the region, providing long-term economic benefits to residents and business,” said Neil Muth, CBT President and CEO. “The Society presented CBT with an innovative plan which brings in air service that creates an opportunity for economic development for this region, and CBT is committed to assisting Basin communities with planning for future prosperity.”
This service has been made possible through the work of the FLY YXC Alliance Society, which was created to better market the Canadian Rockies International Airport as an attractive new air servicing region.
The Society has more than 50 members and is comprised of various resorts throughout the East Kootenays, developers, recreation and tourism attractions and businesses.
“This is the second year of the highly successful service that saw the spectacular Kootenay Rockies Region of British Columbia and its entire world class ski and outdoor adventure offerings made easily accessible to virtually every major city in the United States,” said Andy Cohen, Chair, FLY YXC Alliance Society. “We are very happy to have support from CBT for this initiative.”
American travelers can leave their homes in the morning and have lunch on the slopes of the incredible Canadian Rockies later that day. For Canadians traveling south, Salt Lake City flights are less than two hours, where more connections to any of Delta’s 500 destinations are convenient and economical.
“This is an opportunity for winter sports enthusiasts from all over the United States to enjoy an experience of a lifetime,” said Chris Dadson, President of the Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association. “The region boasts eight alpine ski resorts, 30 heli-ski and snowcat lodges, four National Parks and the best scenery in Canada.”
Delta Airlines will be flying into the Canadian Rockies International Airport three times a week starting December 19, with the service running through March 28, 2010. Delta is taking reservations now, and tickets can be booked through any travel agent or online at www.delta.com <http://www.delta.com/> .
CBT delivers economic, social, and environmental benefits to the residents of the Columbia Basin. To learn more about CBT programs and initiatives, visit www.cbt.org <http://www.cbt.org/> or call 1-800-505-8998.
-30-
For more information contact:
Rachel Lucas
Communications
Columbia Basin Trust
1.250.426.1103
rlucas@cbt.org
Well, aside from the obvious new addition of the newest and classiest resort, there have been some cool changes and additions to the experience you can have in Kimberley Alpine Resort this winter:
A Good Brush Cut is Great for Skiing!: Over ¼ million spent on run improvements with extensive brushcutting and mowing on core runs this summer will result in making the trails even more skier and rider friendly with smoother terrain and wider trail points and also creating the largest gladed skiing area in Canada!
No Fables of Great Skiing in the Black Forest Glades: The adventures in the Black Forest Glades are never ending. This area is accessible off the Tamarack chair and offers fun and secret powder stashes for all levels of skiers and riders to enjoy! New glade widening makes this area accessible even for the novice. Overall, Kimberley Alpine Resort has the largest gladed terrain that offers continuous adventure for everyone!
Gear Up!: For those who think the gear makes the skier, Kimberley can now make you the best with the option to take our new high performance HEAD ski rentals out for a spin. The resort proudly adds this new equipment to the fleet, helping make a day on the mountain even better!
Season Pass with Extra Benefits: New to the resort facilities is the exclusive season pass lockers conveniently located behind the Stemwinder Bar & Grill. Season Pass holders can now enjoy not only the benefit of skiing every day but also getting out there faster with the quick and easy convenience of their own locker room.
New Exciting Events: A jam packed schedule of events is planned for the season with returning favourites such as the annual Family Festival (Feb 13-14) and Bavarian Iron Legs (Mar 27-28) as well as brand new events including Beer Fest (Mar 13-14) and the Mountain Storm Mountaineering Race (Mar 6).
Follow the Lights of the Night!: If you haven’t had your fill of skiing and riding while the sun is up, Kimberley is home to one of North America’s longest illuminated runs, making it a night-time hot spot. If the skis have been hung for the night, however, enjoy a spin around the skating pond magically illuminated with bright lights or enjoy a delicious s’mores by the bonfire while you watch the skaters waltz to the music.
North Star Racers Settle In: The North Star Racers Society known as the Kimberley North Star Racers have settled into a new home base facility at Kimberley Alpine Resort. The new club house will help the racers continue their efforts “to bring to the community fun, challenge, and opportunities for personal excellence through participation and competition in alpine ski racing” through their fall and winter programs that are offered to developing ski racers from ages 5 to 19 at the resort.
Paralympic Training Centre: In February 2009, Kimberley Alpine Resort proudly hosted the 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing NorAm Cup with 52 paralympic athletes from 9 different countries competing. Starting from a dream to create the best Race Training Centre possible for Paralympic Athletes, Kimberley Alpine Resort has a long history of supporting Race Training that dates back to the 60’s and 70’s. With a dedicated training run, the Dreadnaught, and plans to provide a complete state-of-the-art facility, Kimberley Alpine Resort in proud partnership with the City of Kimberley and Province of British Columbia, holds strong and true to athletic excellence and a dedication to enhance the community of Kimberley while providing athletes the opportunity to train at home.
New Kimberley Conference Centre Buoys Owners’
Mountain Spirit Resort Condo Investments
(KIMBERLEY, BRITISH
COLUMBIA) — The recent ground-breaking ceremony for the new $6-million
Conference Centre and Paralympic Training Centre being built here at Kimberley
Alpine Resort is proof that thorough market research is critical prior to
investing in resort properties.
At least that’s how owners at Mountain
Spirit Resort and Spa, a resort development located next to the Conference
Centre site, are feeling right now. Now that the Conference Centre officially
opened Oct. 30, Mountain Spirit condo owners are optimistic that the influx of
sports and corporate travel to the Conference Centre will increase the
popularity of the resort’s optional rental pool.
“The owners who participate in the rental pool are very excited about the
progress being made on the centre,” said Allyson Blake, Mountain Spirit’s
director of real estate marketing. “They did their research before deciding to
buy in a four-season destination that had plans for a centre of this
caliber.”
The year-round, $6-million dollar facility is designed with
both disabled and able-bodied athletes in mind. It will include meeting rooms,
an audio-visual department and a conference space to hold 500
people.
Funding for the centre is coming from the City of Kimberley,
federal and provincial infrastructure grants, a $300,000 grant from the Columbia
Basin Trust and $150,000 from the Southern Interior Development Trust. The
center is being built by New Dawn Developments (same builders of Mountain Spirit
Resort and Spa) and is expected to be completed by October 2010.
The
conference and training center is expected to become a key economic driver for
Kimberley. Leisure travelers and tourists have long contributed to the local
economy, but business travelers have not. Conference delegates often fill hotel
rooms during the shoulder season and mid-week travel when leisure travel is
traditionally low. Conferences are also booked in advance, providing a secure
source of income regardless of economic fluctuations.
Research compiled
by Vann Struth Consulting for the City of Kimberly pegs the daily spending of
conference delegates at approximately $125 per day on top of the accommodation
costs. The same research expects the conference center to boost spending in
Kimberley by more than $5 million per year - more than double the current
level.
“The development of the Paralympic Training and Conference Centre
opens up new options to increase our shoulder season business by targeting a
growing meetings market that that would not otherwise be attracted to
Kimberley,” said Cathy Robinson, operations manager for Bellstar Hotels and
Resorts , the rental manager for Mountain Spirit Resort & Spa. “The
combination of Mountain Spirit’s ski-in, ski-out location, along with the
upcoming 6,000 square foot spa and slope-side restaurant - all right across the
street from the new centre - should ensure we are a top choice for conference
delegates.”
Mountain Spirit Resort and Spa features a true ski-in,
ski-out location in the serene Purcell Mountains at the base of Kimberley Alpine
Resort. In addition to the planned spa, the resort features fine dining,
year-round outdoor heated pool and hot tub and fully furnished suites.
Membership in the exclusive Resort to Resort vacation exchange program is
included with every purchase.
Activity is ramping up at Kimberley Alpine
Resort in preparation for another outstanding ski season. Last season KAR
received the Visitor’s Choice Award being voted the Overall Favorite Resort in
the Pacific North West from onthesnow.com and the 2009 Best of Business Award
for Ski Area in the East Kootenay Region. The mountain is set to open on
December 19 with a preview weekend set for December 12.
Special prices
are available on selected suites until December 19, according to the developer’s
representative. For example, one studio, two 1-bedroom and eight 2-bedroom
suites are included in this offering with pre-season savings of up to $94,000
for whole ownership and up to $16,000 on quarter ownership purchases. Until Dec.
19, 1-bedroom suites start at $398,900, 2-bedroom units at $458,900 and quarter
ownerships on a 1-bedroom suite go for $98,900.
“These incentives are a
great opportunity for those who know what a fantastic ski destination Kimberley
is,” Blake says. “With our ski-in, ski-out location, ski season is our peak
sales season. But if buyers wait until the lifts start up, they’ll be too late
for these special prices.”
The Smoothest of Highways… The summer long $11m project to resurface the highway 93/95A through Kimberley and replace and beautify sidewalks is completing, much to the pleasure of visitors and locals alike. The project also included replacement of underground drainage pipe networks and should complete this month.
Other local initiativesare progressing nicely including the Peak to Platzl trail project, providing a paved biking and walking trail from just outside Mountain Spirit Resort right down to the city centre.
The Rails to Trails project is also approaching completion, which will mean walkers, bikers and even roller bladers will soon be able to enjoy a paved trail along the previous railway line, all the way from Kimberley to Cranbrook.
The world’s largest airline and Canada’s newest international airport announced today that winter flights between Salt Lake City, Utah and Cranbrook, British Columbia are set to continue in December.
Delta Air Lines will be flying into the Canadian Rockies International Airport three times a week starting on December 19th with the service running through March 28, 2010.
This is the second year of the highly successful service that saw the spectacular Kootenay Rockies Region of British Columbia and all of its world-class ski and outdoor adventure offerings made easily accessible to virtually every major city in the United States. American travelers can leave their homes in the morning and have lunch on the slopes of Kimberley Alpine Resort within hours!
For Canadians traveling south, Salt Lake City is less than two hours away, where connections to any of Delta’s 500 destinations are convenient and economical. The Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday flights will depart Salt Lake at 11:10 AM and return from Canadian Rockies International at 1:50 PM and feature the comfortable 50-seat, CRJ 100 jet aircraft.
Tickets can be booked through any travel agent or online at www.Delta.com.
“This is an opportunity for winter sports enthusiasts from all over the United States to enjoy an experience of a lifetime” said Chris Dadson, President of the Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association. “The region boasts eight alpine ski resorts, thirty heli-ski and snowcat lodges, four National Parks and the best scenery in Canada.”
The Delta service to the traditional vacation escapes of Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles has made travel from the Kootenay Rockies quicker and more convenient than ever before. Highly competitive fares and great connections make traveling to the southern USA out of Cranbrook the most sensible vacationing option. With Delta taking reservations now, the flights will fill quickly.
Canadian Rockies International Airport (Photo by Carl Lyle)
