Passion Ignites Success
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By Kathryn Jones   
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
smc After a brief downhill slope, Chicopee Ski Resort is back on the lifts after transitioning into a year-round recreational sports facility.
After a brief downhill slope, Chicopee Ski Resort is back on the lifts after transitioning into a year-round recreational sports facility.
As one of the oldest ski resorts in Canada, Chicopee Ski Resort has seen its fair share of ups and downs. In the early 1980s, the Kitchener, Ontario, Canada-based nonprofit organization was on a downhill slope toward bankruptcy. It regained its footing in the 1990s, only to fall further into debt with a seven-figure loan when the new millennium arrived.

Drastic changes needed to be made, so the 10-person volunteer board of directors created a new chief executive position, who, in turn, created a successful business strategy to turn the ski and snowboarding resort into a year-round recreational complex. It now boasts a 6,000-membership core, and the largest revenue base in the company’s history.

An Urban Getaway
Chicopee was established in 1934 as an urban getaway and social club for approximately 50 ski enthusiasts who wanted to take advantage of the Kitchener rolling hills. From there, a membership was set up to collect dues and create revenues to support the organization. The resort’s primary focus remains skiing, but CEO and Executive Director Greg Stremlaw, who was selected to fill the executive position in 2002, says it constantly adds new features.

For instance, in 2006, Chicopee built a $4.5 million tube park facility on the backside of the resort as part of a partnership with private investors. Winter tubing is a sport where participants slide down shoots of groomed snow in special inner tubes. “It’s a pure adrenaline rush,” Stremlaw adds. “It’s a gravity sport with no previous skill set required. Whether you are six or 66, it makes no difference.”

‘That Dreaded C-Word’
Until a few years ago, Chicopee relied solely on winter activities. Stremlaw says this was one of the reasons that the resort grew stagnant and suffered financial strains. “I think specifically in regards to stagnation, we had been around so long, and when you have a lot of the same players at the same table, you can often get myopic and do what’s good for the internal stakeholders instead of the external stakeholders throughout the community," he explains.

“Complacency – oh, that dreaded c-word – can set in. It happens to the best organizations in the world sometimes. With complacency, I feel Chicopee forgot the fact that it is a community asset. If you forget how important the community is to you, they’ll stop coming. This can be attributed to lack of vision, lack of leadership and lack of ... planning.” Stremlaw says Chicopee almost went bankrupt in the 1980s because “the former management board bit off more than it could chew” when it built new ski lifts and a main-base chalet simultaneously. “Hence, we’re doing phase construction now, as we do not want to venture down that road ever again,” he adds.

For instance, Chicopee is working on a five-phase master plan to modify and upgrade its main chalet. “We’re trying to complete these phases based on business operational successes or operational surpluses,” Stremlaw says. The corporation is also working on upgrading its snowmaking system by installing more high-pressure underground pipes.

Not Just a Ski Resort
Chicopee made its transition from ski resort to year-round recreational spot in 2003 when the board decided to “[embrace] the community in earnest,” Stremlaw says. “Specifically, we wanted to let the community know that we need them and we are going to earn their business and loyalty.”

The resort now offers beach volleyball, tennis courts, drop-off day sports camps for children, a mountain bike park and social events such as an annual golf tournament, music concerts and festivals. One of the most popular summer events is Mighty Machines, where fire trucks, ambulances, helicopters and even army tanks are brought on-site to entertain children of all ages.

Chicopee’s newest summer addition, the Outdoor Adventure Challenge Course, was completed last August. The complex features high-rope and low-rope courses and a new double-sided, 30-foot climbing wall, Stremlaw says. “They’re challenging,” he warns. “You have to work together; that’s why we built it up as a team experience.” He adds that the new venue attracts anyone from corporate groups to children’s groups.

“The biggest advantage to being a year-round resort is that it gives us the ability to keep premium staff year round,” he continues. “It’s a human resource benefit, for sure. It serves as an excellent, intangible marketing tool. We’re in the psyche of the community year-round – not just when snow is here.”
 
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