COLLINGWOOD.COM

Your Local source BOXING DAY for News, Entertainment, Weather BLOWOUT! Proudly serving Collingwood and The Blue Mountains Doors Open At 6am!

Thursday, deCeMBer 22, 2016 read us online at siMCoe.CoM

From everyone “he flipped a coin: at The Connection heads Canada, tails new Zealand.” George Weider OnlineOnline today on

win CinePlex Movie Passes Enter to win a Great Escape Movie Pass for two. Visit Simcoe.com for From left: president Dan Skelton, from left, former chairman George Weider, and former CEO and chairman Gord Canning are part of the more details. legacy of Blue Mountain Resort. John Edwards/Metroland

sign uP for our daily news alerT aT siMCoe.CoM. Ski mogul carves out success Powered by John Edwards that would change his life and the ing as a ski instructor at Alpine Inn ing the peak of the winter season [email protected] lives of thousands in a small com- and Chateau Frontenac. and attracting millions of visitors. A cornerstone of South Geor- munity more than 5,000 kilome- “He met a businessman from Blue Mountain Resorts Ltd. was gian Bay was determined by the tres away. Toronto, Peter Campbell,” George incorporated in 1941 and reached uReport flip of a coin. “He flipped a coin: heads Can- said. “He was a terrific entrepre- an agreement with Blue Mountain Jozo Weider had owned a cha- ada, tails New Zealand,” said son neur and very generous.” Ski Club on a 999-year lease for When you see news happening let in his native Czechoslovakia George Weider. Campbell, who later became a portion of the land that is now let us know... where he carried out mountain It was heads. a senator, backed Jozo in build- home to Blue Mountain. climbing, skiing and photography Jozo Weider came to Canada and ing the first lodge at Blue Moun- They sold the first lodge in 1956, [email protected] expeditions. eventually founded Blue Mountain tain’s north end, where Mountain buying a piece of land at the south- He left the chalet behind when Resort, which is celebrating its Springs Lodge is now located. ern end of the resort and installing www.facebook/SimcoeNews he fled the country in advance 75th year this ski season. What started as a single lodge the first pole lift. of the Nazi occupation. It was in The Weider family settled in has developed into the largest ski “From there, they just gradually @SimcoeNews London in 1938, while on a tour- British Columbia before moving resort in Ontario and a four-season expanded the area,” George said. ism mission, he made a decision to Quebec where Jozo was work- destination, employing 1,800 dur- See Jozo, Page 19

Are you! • Looking for work • 15-30 years old • Out of school • Not in receipt of EI benefits

SKILL Now accepting applications This project is funded • Learn about yourself and employment by the Government of Canada’s • Earn while you add marketable skills to your resume Youth Employment Strategy. TRACKS • Plan your success on the job • Up to 18 weeks PROGRAM For an appointment call 705-444-1580 or drop by Tracks Employment 50 Hume Street - Collingwood 19 I THE CONNECTION - DECEMBER 22, 2016 • www.crowereflexology.ca Gift certificates Available As the busy season is here, 705-446-0081 Enjoy our holiday specialsession - of Half hand, hour head orSpecial foot Christmas reflexology. treat tothe help season ease of into joy, laughter andLet reflection. reflexology bring you into homeostasis. give yourself some whine down time! Jozo Weider, Jozo Weider, founder of Blue Mountain Resort days early Below, of Blue Mountain Resort. Submitted photos Sharron Brigham RRP certified in Foot, Hand and Head Reflexology , “I was 13, picking up garbage in expansion its continued resort The Over the next decade, Monterra Dan said the real “game chang- “It made us a destination ski Re- Mountain Blue said Canning “We envisioned the village, but George said Jozo would be happy but vision the always was “There where Bill’s son, current president his start. got Dan Skelton, the parking lot of the Great Slide Dan. said Ride,” Inn Mountain Blue the when 1980 in from 20. increased to 100 rooms Golf Course and the Blue Moun- tain Conference Centre would be added. er” was when Intrawest bought a 50-per-cent share of the company Vil- the building began and 2000 in lage at Blue Mountain. resort in the vein of Whistler and he said. Tremblant,” sort had sold a piece of in property 1985 and spent the proceeds on planning for what would become the village. we didn’t have $200 said George. it,” build million to taken has resort the direction the with become a destination. it’s and how he get didn’t the around to develop he said. non-winter aspect,” lift light. let it snow , & let it snow! GROUP HEALTH posture Come see us! The team at Let it snow COLLABORATIVE Remember to maintain good Collaborative Health Group can help! 705-446-2203 New Patients Accepting Tel: In 1972, a year after Jozo’s death, Jozo’s after year a 1972, In “That was a tremendous invest- later, Bill Years went to an open “He discovered these tower major a was ’70s the said Canning going was what with in right fit “It could They energetic. and “Young In 1977, they also developed the slide that of thrill the loved “They It was the Great Slide Ride, “Bill was the real contributor,” [email protected] • CollaborativeHealthCollingwood.com said Canning. didn’t “We have the expertise for snow-making lifts.” and the resort installed the snow-mak- ing system, which was a huge step forward. Canning said. ment,” near resort ski a at house and learned about technology that is still used in snow-making. gun this “And said. Canning guns,” snow-making.” revolutionized growth period for the resort, as the - energet young, were boomers baby ic and full of disposable income. Canning said. on demographically,” day all ski and night Saturday party coming.” just kept They Sunday. Slide Ride, which was a way to at- tract summer visitors. said Canning. ride,” ily involved ily in involved the development of snow-making. Direct Billing to your Insurance Company CHIROPRACTIC · MASSAGE THERAPY · ACUPUNCTURE 34 Saint Marie Street Collingwood, ON L9Y 3K1 from Page 1

Skelton started work at the resort the at work started Skelton While Blue Mountain is synony- Gord said the family took a step But before Jozo’s vision could be could vision Jozo’s before But “I think he had enormous, incred- enormous, had he think “I George George said Jozo also had plans “He had single family dwellings Gord Canning, Jozo’s son-in- Jozo added five more chairlifts Ski, l Jozo Weider fled Czechoslovakia, founded resort in 1941 in resort founded Czechoslovakia, fled Weider Jozo when he was 17 and was heav-

history was Bill Skelton. history was names, a key figure in the resort’s ing on hold. Canning and Weider the with mous $500,000 investment in snow-mak- in investment $500,000 back, which included putting a in 1971. implemented, he died in a car crash car a in died he implemented, concerts.” The critical mass wasn’t there for “Some of his projects didn’t work. ibly powerful vision,” George said. George vision,” ibly powerful scenic chairlift. mer activities such as music and a to expand the resort to include sum- include to resort the expand to community.” other,” other,” Canning said. “He had a from one side of the resort to the

development. seeing a map Jozo had of potential law, was law, hired in 1968 and recalls to include homes. to include and had plans to expand the resort