By Nora Hughes / Image supplied by Banff Sunshine Village
Building Community
Many ski areas are big players in small towns, making giving back paramount. At Mont Tremblant, the resort participates in the common success of the community through partnerships, donations, and initiatives. One such initiative that builds community is the “Mon Tremblant” program, which introduces local children to skiing and snowboarding. The resort works with local schools to welcome kids to the slopes to try out the sport with free lift tickets and rentals.
“In general, we strive to uphold our core value of “joie de vivre” and to create a welcoming environment for all, whether guests or staff,” says Félix Burke, Public Relations representative for Mont Tremblant. “We are also proud of the heritage we have as a mountain town and uphold it by actively contributing to the community’s success.”
Banff Sunshine Village’s Holy Bowly
At Sunshine Village, events like Holy Bowly, the Village Series and It’s Tits are great examples of taking community building one step further. In partnership with Snowboy Productions, an event production company that builds iconic, world-class snowboard parks and features, Banff Sunshine hosts events that attract attention and visitors from all over while creating a valuable amenity for community members and giving to charity.
Sunshine Village first partnered with Snowboy Productions in 2017 to bring together a unique snowboard park and talented snowboarders in a shared space. The events have evolved and since found a permanent home at the resort, something media representative for Sunshine Village, Kendra Scurfield, says makes residents proud to live there.
“I’ve been in the resort industry for a long time, and I think that taking pride in where you live is an element that isn’t focused on a lot,” says Krush Kulesza, founder of Snowboy Productions. “I really look for ways the community, resort and people that are riding there, to really take pride in where they’re at and what’s happening in that community.”
The events bring publicity and value, but the parks are a welcomed amenity by residents who get to ride them after the spectators have wrapped up and gone home. Donations to ride the iconic park features go to charities that bolster what it means to be a part of the Banff Sunshine community. For example, the ‘It’s Tits” event is a female-focused event that creates space for women in the sport and donates to Boarding for Breast Cancer.
Kulesza says that he takes notice when resorts make space for these niche events and bring them back year after year, not just for publicity but also for the community support they provide.
Supporting Staff Meaningfully
Ski areas bolster their communities by supporting employees and the impacts directly relevant to community members. In addition to Banff Sunshine Village’s long-time support of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute Gala at the University of Calgary, the ski area has also provided tremendous support to UCalgary in honour of a beloved staff member who passed away from a brain tumour.
“In honour of Mr. Rod Chisholm, whose ski industry career spanned 36 years, friends and family rallied to establish the Rod Chisholm Memorial Fund to support glioblastoma research at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine,” says the Director of Development from the Cumming School of Medicine, Andrea Ostergard. “All donations made by August 31, 2022, were generously matched by Banff Sunshine Village. In total, this initiative raised $100K towards advancing important research breakthroughs that will positively impact brain cancer patients now and in the future.”
At Blue Mountain, the charitable vision serves communities where its employees live and work as a primary focus. The ski area gives cash donations to organizations within their surrounding communities that support what staff care about, such as the Marsh Street Centre, Hospice Georgian Triangle, Home Horizon Barbara Weider and the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
Blue Mountain surveyed its employees to find out where they wanted to give back to, where they think the resort should be giving more, and what organizations are a priority for staff members. Employees suggested a donation request form that any charitable organization can fill out and requisition a donation in kind. Tara Lovell, Manager of Public Relations at Blue Mountain, says this option suggested by the resort’s employees has enabled charities from the surrounding communities to apply for donations if they’re having a fundraiser or easily acquire tickets for live auctions.
In addition, employees at Blue Mountain are eligible to request a donation each season for whatever cause is important to them.
“It’s been really helpful. Especially from an employee perspective, we want them to feel like they are contributing to areas that matter to them by supporting where Blue Mountain gifts,” says Lovell. “The more we do, the more we do meaningfully.”
Investing in a Community
A ski resort investing in its community can look like charity donations, programming that creates space and inclusion, and support for organizations that protect the well-being of residents. Still, there are ways of giving back that fortify the ski industry as a whole.
Giving back to organizations such as Protect Our Winters contributes to a broader community — people who care about the longevity and success of the ski area industry. Lovell says Blue Mountain joined POW’s Resort Alliance because they support the organization’s lobbying efforts to make meaningful change with respect to the climate.
“We host an event specifically to build awareness for Protect Our Winters. Historically that’s been ‘Shred ’til Bed,’ where we keep the Silver Bullet lift running until midnight, allowing POW to gather signatures,” she says. “We have access to a lot of people who care deeply about winter. We want to ensure that the people who care most about being here and having winter continue, have an opportunity to help campaign to make sure the government wants it to continue as well.”
The ski areas mentioned go above and beyond monetary and charitable donations. While the impacts of cash donations to community organizations are not lost, ski areas can also broaden and foster inclusive spaces, enable future generations of passionate community members, and invest in the broader ski community to strengthen the industry as a whole.
