Mid-Week Mugging is a series of features by BayToday. Each Wednesday, we will run a profile on a local business or organization that will be "mugged" with BayToday coffee cups. The subjects will then "mug" for our camera and we will tell a little bit about their story.
When something has been around since 1925 in the community, the chances are many may take it for granted.
Many North Bayites are not aware that Laurentian Ski Hill is one of the only spots in all of Canada where the ski hill is literally right in the middle of the city.
“We are very rare in Ontario. There are other hills in towns like if you go to British Columbia and stuff like that because they build them on the side of mountains, places like Rosland, B.C., and things like that, yes you have a ski hill right there but in Ontario we are very rare,” said Cam Graham, General Manager at Laurentian Ski Hill.
And that makes things convenient too.
“You can walk to our hill, you can take a city bus to our hill, very rarely can you come up with that anywhere else,” said Graham.
It’s been an exciting time for Laurentian as one of its former snowboarders - Tyler Nicholson - will be competing in the Olympics later this week.
In fact, Laurentian can boast that the last three North Bay winter Olympians all spent some time learning to ski on the 300 foot North Bay hill. They are Kate Pace Lindsay in Downhill Skiing in 1994 & 1998, Steve Omischl in Freestyle Aerials in 2010 and Nicholson in Slopestyle/Big Air snowboarding in 2018.
“What is amazing about it is we have three different disciplines and we have other stuff in the works too, now we have a Ski Cross team which has come on since things have changed over the years,” noted Graham.
“The Olympics have changed with different sports but it is very cool, we sent a downhiller, we sent a freestyle aerials, and we sent a snowboard park kid who is now doing Slopestyle and Big Air, it is amazing.”
Graham likes the interest that is created by the Olympics but he believes the hill seems to be attracting skiers and snowboarders of all ages these days.
“Some people are snowboarders and they care about the park, and other people care about ski racing but they all have a passion for this hill because it is right inside the city and there is a reason our kids can do it,” he said.
“We have the city that likes to promote us when they are talking to mining companies and doctors to bring people to North Bay and they are showing off a ski hill that is an asset that no other town has really.”
Graham says it’s hard work but stories like 87-year-old skier Fran Desjardins asking if she should get new skis when her old set is less than five years old inspires him.
Graham too has a long history with the hill as he has only been the General Manager for two years, but way back in the mid 1980’s he was working at the ski rental shop.
While the ski hill has had its economic challenges, Graham believes the future is very bright for this ski hill in the middle of the city.
“I feel now we have a future and the city is here to support the hill,” said Graham.
“We don’t make our money on day passes, if we did not raise $125,000 a year, this hill would not exist. So that is our board busting their butt’s in our community and it is also the business community and the people who support this hill, it’s amazing.
“That is where you see the passion for this hill.”
For more information on any future programming at Laurentian Ski Hill go to laurentianskihill.com
