Background Document

Presentation to

Westlock County Council

by former

Tawatinaw Valley Alpine and Nordic Centre Board

and Advisory Group

February 27, 2018

December 29, 2017 11107-103 st. Westlock, AB T7P 1G6

Chief Administrative Officer Leo Ludwig Westlock County 10336 - 106 Street Westlock, Alberta T7P 2G1

Dear Mr. Ludwig;

I am writing on behalf of the former Tawatinaw Valley Alpine and Nordic Centre Board, which also functioned as an Advisory Group to the County Council before its dissolution. We have watched with interest as the new Councillors have taken on their roles and embarked on very important strategic planning, in particular consideration of the current operations and future of the ski hill and trails.

As well as our Board and Advisory Group roles, we are a group of avid skiers and users who are passionate about the hill and its role as a significant asset to our County and community. We are very committed to ensuring its success, balancing good stewardship of resources with the provision of outdoor recreation opportunities to residents of the County and beyond. We are convinced that with appropriate management and planning, this facility could be a jewel for not only the County but also north-central Alberta.

Many of our members have been involved as volunteers and Board members for over 20 years, as well as avid users. We have experience, skills and knowledge that we can offer in aid of ensuring the County’s success with the facility. We have contributed in a variety of ways, not only offering our advice and experience when solicited by the County, but in a very hands-on way at work bees, trail maintenance, significant fund-raising for equipment and projects, leadership of youth programs such as the Freeriders and Nordic Jackrabbits, sponsoring and working at special events, and promoting the ski hill in Edmonton and other markets. We also include land-owners who allow extension of the trail system across their adjoining land.

We would like to offer up our skills, experience and energies for the new Council to tap into as they embark on their consideration of the facility. Accordingly, we would like to request an opportunity to follow up the Tawatinaw Valley Freeriders presentation with a complementary presentation that would highlight additional information and programs such as cross country (Nordic). We would be available to present at the convenience of the Council and we believe the information would be a valuable addition to their strategic planning for the facility. Knowing the Council’s commitment to community engagement, we would also be available to participate in any other initiatives such as focus groups that would provide Council with valuable information for their planning.

Yours respectfully,

Heather Toporowski Former Secretary-Treasurer TVANC Ski Club

History

Facility History and Transfer of Operations to Westlock County The Tawatinaw Valley Alpine and Nordic Centre was a centennial project developed by a non-profit group (Tawatinaw Valley Centennial Ski Club). Some of the former members (Pat von Loewenstein, Reint Boelman and Heather Toporowski) served on the Ski Club Board for over 17 years.

For many years, the Board operated the facility, often on a break-even budget. CIP grants, casinos and other fundraising assisted in purchasing equipment and making capital improvements. The 2004/2005 season was a difficult one due to lack of snow and the need to continue paying down a loan for snowmaking equipment. It was also getting more complex for a volunteer board to operate the facility, with increasing need for things like stronger OH&S practices and more rigorous policies, procedures and processes.

Advice was sought from the MLA of that time, Mr. Ken Kowalski, in terms of potential grants and funding. A grant was successfully obtained but also at that time, Mr. Kowalski had discussions with the County about them taking on more operational responsibility. Prior to October 2006, the CFO for the County acted as Treasurer for the TVANC Board of Directors and also sat on the Board. There were also County Councilors appointed to the Board, however there was little involvement by the County in the day-to-day operations.

After advice from Mr. Kowalski, in October 2006, a letter from TVANC Board of Directors requested Westlock County assume governance of the facility. By the end of October 2006 a letter from Westlock County confirmed that County Council approved the County taking over operations of the ski hill, under a governance structure developed by the County. Under this governance structure, the TVANC Board of Directors was asked to serve as an Advisory Committee to Westlock County on the ski facility and programs.

In 2007, assets were transferred from the club to the County, with Westlock County staff working with the club executive to complete the transfer. The transfer of assets was based on the financial reporting which up until then, had been done by Westlock County staff. The value of the amount of assets transferred was approximately $960,000. In 2017, additional equipment was transferred to Westlock County from the club, with an original purchase value of approximately $56, 000 and depreciated value of approximately $20,000.

Contributions of Club and Advisory Board During the ten years that the Club acted as an Advisory Committee to the County, we were active in a number of areas including:  Provided expert advice on programs and facilities when requested by the County, as active users of the hill and experienced skiers, as well as being the former operating Board  Carried out ongoing fundraising (grant applications, casinos) for equipment used by ski hill programs  Advocated for, and arranged a visioning session facilitated by Alberta Community Development, held in collaboration with County leaders and staff, to develop a strategic plan and business plan for the ski hill (2013/14). This would have included a five year capital equipment plan, which would have provided guidance for future Club fundraising and support.  Volunteered on an ongoing basis to plan and support special events such as Board Pancake Breakfast, Family Day, Cross Country Loppet and Freerider competitions

 Participated in obtaining and reviewing a marketing plan developed by NAIT Business and Marketing Students, and volunteered to carry on marketing activities such as: visits to ski shops in Edmonton and surrounding areas to promote the hill, attendance at ski shows, promotion of the hill to schools and youth community groups  Carried out infrastructure and maintenance volunteer work, such as mowing and grooming cross country trails

We continue to be a valuable resource that could be activated to provide advice, information and very tangible support (fund-raising, volunteer work) if mobilized in a collaborative partnership with County Council, County Administration and ski hill operations.

Tawatinaw Valley Alpine and Nordic Centre Background Information1

Description:  Tawatinaw Valley is spread out over 140 acres-the largest ski facility in the Edmonton and north area. Vertical height is 250 feet.  Downhill runs- novice to advanced across varied terrain  Mogul run- Freestyle Club  Three t-bar lifts and one rope tow  Terrain park  Seventeen foot super-pipe (one of two in Alberta)  20 kilometres of cross country ski trails, groomed for freestyle and classic

Opening Days:  Public days2 open can vary from 40 public days to 80 public days depending on snowfall and cold weather, as well as equipment function (i.e. ability to make snow). Public days open directly impact the ability to be financially sustainable.  2005-2006 was one of our longer opening seasons- 83 days open, with 11, 213 skiers in total (7,075 public and 4,075 schools)

Staff  Tawatinaw Valley employed 20-25 people on a part-time or full-time basis, in addition to its' many volunteers (2005).

Participants  63 % of day tickets are children or youth (2004/2005)  Family Day 2005 had 450 visitors  Had 9 days in the past season (2003-2004) with more than 250 visitors per day  Had the highest number of memberships in 2003/2004, than in the past 20 years

ALL PARTICIPANTS 2004/2005 9,700 2003/2004 15,000 2002/2003 13,500 2001/2002 12,750 2000/2001 9,500 1999/2000 11,500

Ski School  Ski School hosted approximately 3500 students from surrounding schools.  Students in participating schools came from a wide range of areas:

1 Note: Most of the information above was gathered when Club had operational responsibility prior to 2006

2 Note “Public days open” refer to days when the facility is open to the public. There are also additional days where there are school groups and the facility is not open to the general public

o Furthest South-St Albert, Edmonton o Furthest North-Wabasca, Slave Lake,Wandering River o Furthest East-Smoky Lake o Furthest West-Barrhead, Fort Assiniboine  Had 8 CASI Snowboard Instructors and 10 CSIA Ski Instructors

Ski Patrol  Have had up to 20 volunteer Patrollers  Conducted a "Safety Now "Program which reached approximately 1800 grade 1-9 children  SnowSmart Program was run in collaboration with Aspen Regional Health (now Alberta Health Services)

Cross Country  Yearly Loppet with as many as 130 participants (both local people and from other areas such as Edmonton, Camrose, Sherwood Park and Athabasca)

Volunteers  Much of trail and hill maintenance was on a volunteer basis. In previous years to 2006, nearly 1000 hours per year of volunteer time was been spent on trail maintenance and upgrading of amenities.

Equipment  Used 4,000,000- 5,000,000 gallons of water for snowmaking.  Had 4 Snowguns for making snow

Visioning Session and Strategic Plan (2013-2014)

Purpose: To allow the Tawatinaw Valley Alpine and Nordic Centre Advisory Board members and County leadership staff to explore issues related to the operation of the area, review the past year’s activities, develop a vision, mission and values, and create 3 year goals with associated outcomes

Participants: Attendees: Advisory board members and key staff of Westlock County Facilitator: Rick Moyse of Alberta Culture

Results:  Oct 26, 2013- During the first session participants reviewed the past year, created new vision and mission statements, developed draft guiding principles and completed a series of goals  Jan 8, 2014- Participants continued the planning process which saw an in-depth discussion of the vision and mission, the reworking and prioritization of the goals, and the development of measurable accomplishments for some of the goals.  The planned next step was to present the proposed high-level plan to County Council. Once approved to proceed, the following actions were planned: o Determine targets and measures o Develop 3 year action plan o Develop one-year operational plan o Develop costings for capital equipment and programs to allow TVANC Club to target and plan fundraising  Unfortunately a change in leadership at the County resulted in all planning work being put on hold.

Strategic Plan Elements: 1. Vision: “Boundless recreational fun for everyone”

2. Mission: The Tawatinaw Valley Alpine and Nordic Centre promotes safe and healthy recreation for all ages and abilities by providing:  high quality facilities and terrain  excellent customer experiences  innovative programming and learning opportunities

3. Strategic Goals: Goal 1- Develop a long term capital improvement strategy that addresses preventative maintenance, and planned replacement of capital assets to ensure viability of operations and the protection of the capital investment. Ideas to explore:  Develop a preventative maintenance program  Evaluate snow making equipment to see if it fits the needs of the hill  Evaluate and prioritize equipment needing replacement, & secure funding  Long term capital improvement strategy  Strategic maintenance & replacement program

Goal 2- Develop high quality consistent standards for operations, to ensure excellence in programs and conditions. Ideas to explore:  Improve consistency of quality of conditions and programs  Develop an operations guide / checklist (daily / yearly)  Consistent operational standards  Build our cross country ski user base  Open hill by Dec 1, including super pipe  Clear operational targets and guide / checklist (hill opening date, x-country grooming, etc.)

Goal 3- Improve facilities and expand programs to attract more users. Ideas to explore:  Make waiting pleasant i.e. wi-fi  Expand winter programming by adding snowshoe trails  Terrain improvements making better use of what we have  Add toboggan run or tube lift  Add hiking & mountain biking – mow trails, add infrastructure (toilets, picnic)

Goal 4- Ensure a safe environment for the public, staff, and volunteers.

Goal 5- Develop a strong human resource strategy, to ensure we have quality staff and volunteers. Ideas to explore:  Workforce plan  Volunteer plan (Friends of TVANC)  More county staff in recreation  Investigate if succession planning for the contractor is required anytime soon  Clear definition of responsibilities  Further define the role of the advisory board

Goal 6- Develop and monitor a three year strategic plan, and a one year operational plan with performance measures. Ideas to explore:  Include contractor in planning and providing status reports (accountability)  Develop performance based goals to ensure accountability & consistent customer service  Measure and improve performance

Goal 7- Develop a comprehensive communications protocol to ensure effective communication between the County, contractor, community, & advisory council. Ideas to explore:  Transparent communication between County and the public  Yearly update to council by the board (board member attends)  Improve connection to council, community, and facility management  Publically support each other – County, board, user groups  Develop / enhance communication between County, contractor, & advisory council

Goal 8- Develop a comprehensive marketing and public relations strategy to grow and maintain our customer base Ideas to explore:  Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy / program  Create a customer feedback loop  Ensure aggressive marketing program  Ensure good customer experiences

Current Status

Why is the ski hill important?  It attracts residents to the County and surrounding towns who wish to live in a community with amenities for their families  It provides great outdoor recreation opportunities which have a positive impact on physical and mental health of the population, especially young people  It provides jobs for people in nearby communities and attracts economic development  It provides a gathering place to help grow our sense of community

Strengths and Assets  Scenic beauty of the Tawatinaw Valley  Potential linkages with Trans-Canada trail  New and attractive chalet  Easy access from large catchment area: Athabasca, Morinville, St. Albert, north Edmonton (comparable to distance from Rabbit Hill)  Well-designed cross country trail system already in place  Active clubs e.g. Tawatinaw Valley Freeriders, Cross Country jackrabbit clubs  Good school group customer base  Active and engaged volunteers  Related infrastructure nearby: Evolution Freestyle, Pine Valley Gymnastics  One of two super pipes in the province  Long time employee (P. Prazak) has experience in terrain park design, snow making and grooming  Access to Freestyle coaches for ideas as terrain park design changes  Terrain park is very popular with young skiers and snowboarders  Excellent terrain for families to bring their kids to learn to ski  Family friendly atmosphere  Bus from Morinville, through Legal and Vimy was starting to get popular

Growth and Improvement Areas to Achieve Sustainability  Expand to four season use (mountain biking, running, hiking) and add winter programs (e.g. snowshoe trails, tubing run, skating). Ensure use is supported by good signage. Create a GPS route for trails and post on website, and produce and make trail maps widely available. Link in with Trans-Canada Trail for promotion.  Promote facility for corporate retreats and social gatherings (e.g. reunions, weddings)  Improved fencing, reception area and payment system at upper parking lot for cross country (protection against ingress and vandalism at upper parking lot)  Commitment by County and operator to groom and maintain cross country trails (or partner with club/volunteers)  Build awareness in Edmonton and nearby areas of facility, hill and trails  Extend water lines to pipe area to make it easier to make snow in that area  Purchase 1 or 2 more of the newer style of snow guns that can make snow at warmer temperatures

Ideas for Efficient and Economical Operation  Involve volunteers more fully in cross country trail maintenance and grooming e.g. work bees to pick rocks and trim trees, train to use grooming equipment and enlist help to groom cross country trails  Encourage special events such as Loppet, Ski North, ski races and competitions, fun events (Big Air, Slopestyle, Slush Cup, Family Day).  Encourage cross country jackrabbits and school groups, and other group visits (such as 4- H, Rotary Family Day, Junior Forest Wardens, etc.) which would generate revenue  Involve clubs which could access grants and donations for programs and capital equipment  Investigate expanding bussing to Westlock and Athabasca  Work with Town of Westlock, Athabasca county and other municipal governments who have residents who use the facility to support this critical recreation area  Work with Misty Ridge Ski area to support each other and perhaps find ways to share some expensive resources  Explore corporate sponsorship opportunities and support from service clubs

Critical Success Factors to Ensure Sustainability

General-  A good communication and working relationship should be built between County Council and staff, ski facility operator and staff, expert user groups and volunteers. There is a lot of expertise and willingness to provide volunteer time and energy. Better use of volunteers can help with ski facility sustainability by providing volunteer labour, assisting with fundraising for projects and equipment, and promotion of the facility to build the user base, for example updating and maintaining the website and social media.  Clear roles and responsibilities are important for a collaborative working relationship between the County, the operator/manager, volunteers and staff. The assignment of a dedicated County employee to work with the operator/manager and an advisory/volunteer group, as well as regular meeting with and involvement of Council would enable success.  Consistency is key to achieving sustainability and success: consistent opening dates and scheduling, consistent grooming and quality, consistent maintenance and operations to prevent breakdowns, consistent communication and marketing.  Pricing of season passes and day tickets needs to be competitive to ensure users choose Tawatinaw versus other facilities.

Critical Success Factors Recommendations Downhill/Alpine Operator needs to ensure the earliest Ensure clear roles, responsibilities and possible opening date and also to be open as accountabilities are outlined for both much as possible over the Christmas/New operator and County staff. Years’ vacation and on other school breaks. Ensure hill is mowed before snowmaking Failure to achieve early opening means loss commenced- if grass is long, more snow of revenue, especially from Freestyle club is required to ensure early opening and

and schools, which seek alternate venues for safe skiing. training A good preventative maintenance system Establish a good preventative should be in place to ensure that equipment maintenance system and ensure clear is ready and in good operating condition roles, responsibilities and accountabilities when required. In particular, all snow making are outlined for both operator and County equipment must be ready in early fall. staff. Operator must have technical expertise to be Ensure that operator understands this is able to carry out routine daily maintenance a requirement and they or staff have the and urgent repairs to ensure no loss of technical abilities. operating time. A good communications and marketing plan Use existing marketing plan as is important to ensure that the public is aware developed by NAIT marketing students of opening dates, facility status, and special as a starting point. events. Communication should occur via a Seek user advice to develop an updated variety of media and social media and should plan. cover a large catchment. Use volunteers to help with special promotions (e.g. attendance at ski shows). Tawatinaw hill provides better features than Rabbit Hill and is just as close for parents from north Edmonton and St. Albert/Morinville to reach- this

could be highlighted in promotions. Consistent scheduling of when facility is open (e.g. weekends/weekdays, holidays, school breaks) should be established and well- publicized.

CrossCountry/Nordic Trails must be mowed once or twice in Explore the option of contracting out summer months for summer usage (hiking, mowing or firming up mowing mountain biking) and once just before arrangements with current volunteers. snowfall for good trail conditions. If the grass Volunteer work bees for clearing trails of is too long, trails cannot be groomed until rocks and debris, deadfalls. there is enough snow for good coverage. If grass is short, trails can be groomed with minimal snowfall.

If there is snowfall, trails must be groomed Set clear guidelines for operator re: trail before the weekend to be set and ready for grooming and maintenance to ensure Saturday morning. If operations wait until consistent conditions. Saturday afternoon (after the hill is groomed), Seek advice from expert users to there will be dissatisfied skiers who arrive to establish guidelines. find ungroomed trails on Saturday. Also the Get instruction and information from skate track needs to harden overnight- if other clubs and operations which have skate skiers use it while soft, it will require good trail grooming standards- there more frequent grooming due to ridges cut in have been offers previously from other the tracks. groomers to help train TVANC groomers.

Trail updates must be kept current and Seek advice from expert users on social posted on social media sites used by media used by xc skiers to update re: Northern Alberta skiers. Staff at the chalet conditions. must be kept updated on current trail Expert users could assist by providing conditions and must be well-informed in order staff with trail information or volunteering to provide good trail information to cross to provide social media updates. country skiers.

Cross country skiers access the trail system Design and build a good fence/gate both from the upper parking lot and the lower system for upper parking lot- look at parking lot, so the upper parking lot needs a nearby trail areas which have developed good fencing/gate system (to prevent quads good methods including County of and snowmobiles from using trails) and a Parkland (Chikakoo and Clifford E. Lee good map and payment system. Natural Area), Hinton Nordic, Drayton Valley Nordic.

Downhill (Alpine) Key Messages

Overview: The Tawatinaw Valley downhill runs are spread over 140 acres, with a vertical height of 250 feet. It is the largest ski facility in the Edmonton and north area. Downhill runs vary from novice to advance across beautiful terrain with trees and gullies. There are three t-bar lifts and one rope tow suitable for beginning skiers. There is a snowboard terrain park which has been upgraded recently with grant funds. There is also a seventeen foot super-pipe, one of two in Alberta. The Freestyle club builds and maintains a mogul run yearly.

Background and Highlights:

 The Hill has hosted a variety of competitive and fun events over the years, mainly coordinated by volunteers. Fun events include: Family Day Races, Slush Cup, Burton Snowboarding events, and King of the Hill races.  Competitive events have included: o Alberta Winter Games – 2012 o Club Competitions 2013, 2017 o Pipe Camp and Comp - 2014 o Club Competition planned for March 2-4, 2018  The 2017 competition was a huge success thanks to the TVFR volunteers, Pine Valley Resort, Pembina Zone Ski Patrol, AFSA officials, sponsorships and donations from local businesses. Over 70 athletes and their families spent the weekend at the TVFR competition. Folks from out of town stayed at the Pine Valley Resort and various hotels in Westlock.  The ski hill hosts a rural, grass-roots freestyle club which was started in 2005, and is regulated by the Alberta Freestyle Skiing Association (AFSA) and the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association (CFSA). The TVFR employs Freestyle Canada certified coaches. There are currently 15 clubs in the province; only two north of Edmonton. TVFR has had 2 athletes invited to compete a National Competitions. We have been asked again by Alberta Freestyle Ski Association (AFSA) to host another competition in 2018. AFSA recognizes the importance of offering competitions in northern Alberta. They have determined that the ski hill at Tawatinaw is a fantastic venue for freestyle events and that TVFR has a large network of experienced and enthusiastic volunteers who are able to host a well-run, successful competition.  Our Freeriders user projections for 2018: we have 51 athletes x 9 Saturdays x $ 25 lift ticket, plus parents who ski or siblings. The Freestyle club draws members not only from the County and Town of Westlock, but also from St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Athabasca and Slave Lake.

Canadian Ski Patrol Pembina Zone Society:

Tawatinaw Valley Ski Patrol is a volunteer organization tasked with providing on-hill first aid, safety monitoring and safety education. This has all been done as a full member of the Canadian Ski Patrol System, a national volunteer group of 5000 ski patrol members at over 230 resorts. The group was started at Tawatinaw in 1971 and has operated for over 40 years.

The Pembina Zone is one of 11 Zones that cover ski resorts around Alberta and the Yukon that make up the Mountain Division of the Canadian Ski Patrol. The Pembina Zone is one of only a few Zones that care for a single resort. Most Zones have multiple resorts in their area, such as the Edmonton Zone. The Pembina Zone is a registered Society with the Government of Alberta, with access to funding from AGLC. The funds generated are used directly to purchase First Aid supplies and equipment to maintain

14 and improve our services to the ski resort in Tawatinaw. Recent purchases include medical beds for the First Aid room.

The patrol has consisted of 15 to 20 members who are trained and certified on an annual basis to provide Advanced First Aid, under Canadian Ski Patrol protocols. Over the years patrol members have donated thousands of hours of time not only at the hill but in local school safety programs as well as assisting a wide variety of community groups. The Ski Patrol devotes over 60 volunteer hours per member, each season, in training and patrolling at the resort in Tawatinaw. One member has been in the Canadian Ski Patrol for over 25 years.

Cross Country (Nordic) Key Messages

Overview: The TVANC has a wonderful trail system, with good variety from beginner to advanced, and various lengths of trails. There are beautiful views of the valley and good access to amenities such as the chalet and cafeteria. However Nordic skiing has not been consistently supported and promoted in order to attract consistent customers and build a good user base. There are a variety of suggested initiatives and success factors, some of them very simple, which could help us become a recognized cross country destination for Northern Alberta. There are great facilities which already operate that we could learn from and benefit by their experience- Chickakoo in Parkland County, Athabasca’s Muskeg Creek trail system, Hinton Nordic Centre, Drayton Valley’s Pembina Nordic Area. We also have committed volunteers who are also experienced Nordic skiiers who are available for support and advice.

Background and Highlights:  Cross Country skiing has been a part of the Tawatinaw Valley Alpine and Nordic Centre since its creation in 1967.  The trail system currently consists of approximately 15-20 km of trails that are groomed for both classic skiing and freestyle (skate) skiing. The trail system is located on TVANC land and extends onto adjoining privately owned land, mainly owned by Reint Boelman Jr, but also at times land owned by the Vowel and Geiger families.  Over the years, an active group of volunteers has designed and built trails, maintained trails (picking rocks and branches, cutting trees, mowing, occasional grooming), installed signage and carried out a variety of special events. The Couny/private operator is responsible for grooming and mowing but has required support from volunteers at times.  Cross Country volunteers sponsor and carry out a yearly Loppet (recreational race) which has attracted over 100 participants in some years, both children and adults. This is an important way to promote the facility, as these users often bring others who stay to ski both downhill and cross country, and will return to visit if they have a good experience. Last year we were one of the few loppets that actually took place since we had enough snow, about 30% of the races last year didn't occur. This was also the reason why we were hosted the Alberta Cup race in 2006.  In recent years, cross country volunteers have also supported the Ski Fit Spirit North program founded in 2009 to introduce Indigenous youth to cross-country skiing and the joy of movement. Three-time Olympian Beckie Scott is a Director and founder. Today, Spirit North works in more than 30 Indigenous communities across Western Canada and reaches about 6,000 youth every year. TVANC hosted Ski Fit North races in January 2017, with children were bussed from Kikino Metis Settlement, Beaver Lake First Nation, Heart Lake First Nation, Goodfish First Nation, Saddle Lake Cree Nation and Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement. It was very successful, with media including CBC featuring the race, and the group wants to make this a yearly event in Tawatinaw.  There is a Spirit North event planned for February 2, 2018 of this year, which is co-hosted with the Kikino Metis Settlement from the Lac La Biche area as they don't have the facility (lodge and trails) or the grooming capability to host it on their own. There will also be a school group from Athabasca attending the event this year as they have significant First Nations enrollment in their schools.  There is an active Jackrabbits childrens program led by Reint Boelman Jr. which has about 20 elementary aged children plus their families. They come from Westlock and Barrhead areas. As well, there is a high school cross country ski program operated by RF Staples High School yearly, with 420 student visits to the Westlock Nordic Trail system last year (Westlock Golf Course). The Westlock Nordic Club had 40 active members last year. The area is growing its

own cross country users who would benefit from a consistent trail system to access in Tawatinaw, and we have not successfully tapped into that user base.  While the number of users is not as many as downhill skiing, it is difficult to get accurate counts especially in the last 10 years due to: lack of tracking of skiiers who enter from the top parking lot (east part of trails) and lack of consistent grooming which results in reduced usage. Tawatinaw often gets better early season snow and lasts later into the spring than trails in and around Edmonton, so skiiers from those areas could help us build an active user base.

Related Media: www.athabascalandingtrail.com/tawatinawattractions.html http://www.vueweekly.com/valley_between_two_rivers_delivers/ http://www.spiritnorthxc.ca/ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/northern-alberta-ski-race-teaches-first-nation-children- lesson-in-determination-1.3946181 http://fasttraxnordicteam.blogspot.ca/2013/01/tawatinaw-loppet-wax-recommendation.html https://skitrax.com/alberta-cup-5-6-change-in-venue/

Acknowledgements

The following individuals contributed to the preparation and review of this information:

Name Role Residence Wendy Batog  Tawatinaw Freestyle Club County of Westlock Fundraising Volunteer Coordinator  Downhill user Reint Boelman  Former TVANC Board County of Westlock Member and Advisory Group Member  Cross-Country User Reint Boelman Jr.  Cross Country Jackrabbits County of Westlock President  Cross-Country User  Landowner Colin Felstad  Former TVANC Board County of Westlock Member and Advisory Group Member  Ski Patrol  Downhill user Courtney Muller  Ski Patrol President County of Sturgeon  Downhill user Barry Robinson  Former TVANC Board County of Westlock Member and Advisory Group Member  Downhill user Toni Siegle  Former TVANC Board County of Westlock Member and Advisory Group Member  Downhill user Heather Toporowski  Former TVANC Board Town of Westlock Member and Advisory Group Member  Cross-Country User Pat von Loewenstein  Former TVANC Board County of Westlock Member and Advisory Group Member  Cross-Country User