Jim Sinclair
Rossland News
Rossland City Council, at it’s regular meeting of August 11 voted in favour of amending the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP) to reflect a greater level of cooperation with the area’s prime tourist draw.
First and second readings had been given on July 14 to create an amendment bylaw deleting a policy that, “The City will not supply water for snowmaking” from the OCP.
During discussion the clear consensus was that the City should be as accommodating as is reasonably possible with the Red Mountain Resort given the resort’s massive impact on the local economy and culture. Striking such a policy from the OCP gives a fresh environment to a process that is new to the mountain operation.
“The snowmaking is a brand new initiative,” said Mayor Greg Granstrom following the council meeting. “In order to make it work we needed to remove that bit of language from the OCP.”
The value of the snowmaking capability to a ski resort is, understandably, large, and is likely to increase visits to the area in a big way.
“This (snowmaking) is a whole new addition to the mountain,” said the mayor. “It was initially designed for a training facility. So they’ll be able to make snow in November.”
The volume of water required is not huge according to Granstrom, who said that the city will be in control of it. “If we do get low we’ll just say ‘no more,’ but as far as what it means to Rossland, it’s a very significant economic initiative. It’ll bring people from all over the world.”