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Tourism Celebrating Tourism — The Free Press
Thursday, June 6, 2019 Page B1
Special Feature
An important part of Fernie’s Economy By Jikke Gyorki Executive Officer, Tourism Fernie Each year we partner with the Fernie Free Press and various local tourism gurus and businesses to produce this Special Tourism Feature. Our objective? To highlight tourism in our community, its importance and the extent it touches us all. It has been part of Fernie’s fabric for almost 100 years, back when local resident JF Spalding photographed many of Fernie’s landscapes and newsworthy happenings while spearheading the Tourist Association of South Eastern B.C. & Southern Alberta and producing the Automobile Road Guide for B.C., AB & SK. Today, tourism brings in over $140 million in visitor spending, most of which is new money coming into Fernie from outside the region. Visitors, whether here for leisure, business, sport, weddings or simply visiting friends or family, spend money on local dining, lodging, shopping, activities, nightlife, attractions and more. These dollars contribute to our community in many ways - businesses grow and thrive, jobs are created, and amenities we all enjoy are expanded and improved. As local residents we are continually intermingling with those from other places. For the diversity of reasons visitors come they are rating Fernie high when asked if they would recommend Fernie to others. The quality experiences local Fernie businesses and organizations provide are key to this, as well as the great events and Rocky Mountain
views, but even more so, and what gives Fernie its unique and competitive angle, is the community feel, great hospitality, rich history and historic downtown. This past year represented a monumental progression to work in collaboration for Fernie’s tourism industry success and sustainability in the long term. The Tourism Master Plan, a community effort to create a guiding document for local tourism, is nearing completion; more can be read about this on the pages to follow. The provincial tourism funding program, the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI), which provides over $340,000 annually to support local tourism infrastructure and programs, recently received on-going long-term support through inclusion within the provincial budget. The MRDT 2 per cent hotel tax, which brings in over $400,000 annually for Fernie to execute tourism marketing, programs and projects has recently seen further increases since B&B’s, AirBnB and short-term rentals have started collecting. This tax is the primary funding source for Tourism Fernie and is expected to see an increase by 2020 once a current initiative to increase the tax from 2 per cent to 3 per cent is completed. Looking forward presents many opportunities to continue to work together for tourism’s success and management. With a stronger foundation and collaborative framework our industry and community will begin to implement the actions identified as priorities in the Tourism Master Plan. Through this new collaborative effort, we envision not just a more resilient industry but a stronger and more progressive community.
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The Mayor’s Message By Ange Qualizza Mayor, City of Fernie
just unveiled A Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, designed to bolster growth and diversity in the tourism sector by enhancing visitor experiences.
The City of Fernie has a long tradition of supporting community groups that enhance our arts and culture scene, foster a vibrancy and diversity of events in our community and contribute to what makes Fernie such an attractive destination.
We at the City are thankful to partner with so many community groups that are already working to enhance visitor experience, blending our robust resource economy with a vibrant tourism economy.
In 2018 the City of Fernie contributed more than $600,000 to assist local groups that provide arts and culture to our community and align with our own strategic goals and objectives in accordance with our Official Community Plan.
There are many things that keep Fernie charming, but our volunteers that contribute so much enthusiasm and support to the array of festivals we enjoy is certainly what sets us apart from other communities.
Fernie continues to be a natural place to host festivals and events, both arts and cultural and athletic events.
To celebrate this Tourism Week, I highly recommend celebrating our volunteers that contribute so much to our community.
In recognition of Canada’s booming tourism industry bringing record number of visitors in 2018, the Government of Canada has
Photo: Troy Nixon
See you along the way
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
We look forward to the completion of the Tourism Master Plan that will be a roadmap for Fernie, and the continued success of the tourism sector here in Fernie and their contribution to our local economy.
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Completing Fernie’s Tourism Master Plan By Jikke Gyorki Executive Officer Tourism Fernie Originally conceived in 2016 by Tourism Fernie, a plan for tourism was seen as a significant community need in recognition of the industry’s growth and trends combined with associated opportunities and challenges. Only a few communities in BC have undertaken this type of major project, such as Vancouver and Tofino, but as a naturally driven and passionate community Fernie was up for the task. In 2018 funding support to develop an official Tourism Master Plan (TMP) was confirmed from Columbia Basin Trust, Tourism Fernie, City of Fernie, Fernie Chamber of Commerce and the Regional District of East Kootenay.
In May 2018 a local industry collaborative defined the desired outcomes of the plan and soon after hired the Whistler Centre for Sustainability to work with them in its development. Since then the local industry collaborative transitioned and grew into the official TMP Task Force and an extensive amount of work has taken place. The plan, with a draft now completed, has been informed and developed through a five-phase process: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Setting the stage. Where are we now? Where we want to go/be? How will we get there? Writing and sharing the plan.
WHAT IS A TOURISM MASTER PLAN? A long-term framework that guides tourism in a coordinated and forward-looking way. The purpose of a TMP is to ensure the long-term success of tourism in Fernie. This TMP takes stock of the current state of affairs and provides a vision, goals, and strategies to guide more specific actions. The TMP is a living document that needs to remain flexible and up-to-date in order to adapt to changes (including trends) that may arise within the environment (social, cultural, environmental, and economic). This TMP will serve as a guide to implementing and improving tourism as well as the role organizations will play. The gathering and incorporation of input from the tourism sector and community has been critical. An effective and meaningful engagement process was developed and executed in fall 2018 to encourage broad and diverse participation using a number of engagement activities listed below. In addition, a unique project website at www.tourismplanfernie.com was launched. Participants were asked to help identify benefits, concerns, visions, priorities and project ideas. Engagement participation included the following: • A Task Force made up of members of the tourism community, as well as City staff and other related organizations. The Task Force of thirteen members was tasked with: 1) Collaborating on the structure, content and engagement process; 2) Working to ensure that concerns and aspirations of the general public and organizations are consistently understood and considered in the TMP. • Open House events • Focus Group Sessions with 11 different sectors representing: Chamber of Commerce; Accommodation providers; Retail/Food and Beverage; Tourism Activity providers; Festivals & Cultural tourism groups; Parks and Environmental organizations; City of Fernie Senior Staff; Developers and Real Estate; Tourism Fernie Board; Trails and land user groups; and Elk River stakeholders. • A Resident Survey • A Business Survey • An NGO Survey • One-on-one interviews were held including representatives from Teck, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, Ktunaxa, City of Fernie, Parastone Development, College of the Rockies, Island Lake Lodge, and the Regional District of East Kootenay. Upon review of all the input an initial working vision was developed along with key focus areas and goals that have guided the TMP Task Force to ensure a lasting and successful plan is developed with the commitment, support and energy for implementation.
WORKING VISION Dynamic and proactive community and industry collaboration is the foundation to Fernie’s successful tourism economy; where thoughtfully honed authentic visitor experiences benefit residents and visitors alike; where the local people, culture, environment and landscape are revered for its indispensable role; where Fernie’s quality of life is improved and sought after by respectful visitors year-round; where businesses thrive sustainably.
FOCUS AREAS & GOALS DIVERSITY OF VISITORS YEAR-ROUND Grow visitors into multi-day, year-round economic and community contributors SHAREABLE VISITOR EXPERIENCES Develop and enhance Fernie’s visitor infrastructure, amenities, tourism products, experiences and people STRONGER TOURISM FOUNDATIONS Ensure collaboration, community support, people and financing for tourism success SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT Manage peak times, locations and amenities where visitation is impacting the community or natural environment
Currently the plan is in its 5th phase with a draft written and undergoing a thorough For more details please visit TourismPlanFernie.com or contact us at TMP@tourismfernie. review with updates from the TMP Task Force. Further refinement and review by additional com. On behalf of the TMP Task Force we are very grateful for all the participation, support stakeholders taking place this month, the final plan will be completed before peak summer and encouragement to date and look forward to the plan’s implementation and on-going season begins with a formal fall season launch event being planned. community involvement.
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Supporting Local Businesses in the Tourism Industry By Brad Parnell Executive Director Fernie Chamber of Commerce As an economic driver for British Columbia, the tourism industry in 2019 is growing faster than the provincial economy as a whole. Over 19,000 tourism businesses in B.C. have helped shape tourism into an $18.4 billion industry generating some 140,000 jobs for the province. As we celebrate National Tourism Week, we recognize that Fernie is uniquely positioned to take full advantage of this rapidly expanding economic powerhouse. Locally we already enjoy a vibrant tourism economy with authentic, small-town charm and big mountain adventure. Summer visitation in particular has exploded in recent years as our reputation for amazing trails and unique experiences resonates with key markets. But as with any significant growth, there can be growing pains. The Fernie Chamber of Commerce is committed to making sure our local businesses are equipped and ready to take on the challenge of a rapidly growing cultural and adventure tourism sector in the Elk Valley. We have been excited to play a key role in the development and implementation of Fernie’s first Tourism Master Plan with other local stakeholders. The Chamber values such a strategic and coordinated approach to this important piece of Fernie’s economy, and we look forward to an increased spirit of collaboration in dealing with the challenges of capacity and destination management. Even for traditionally non-tourist businesses, the economic spin-offs of tourism are key to the
health of our overall business community. To that end, the Fernie Chamber of Commerce has identified that well-trained, quality frontline staff are critical to our local tourism industry. The Fernie Ambassador Program continues to deliver a low-cost, high-quality training ground for these key personnel in our community. We strongly encourage local businesses to consider the benefits of sending their staff to this half-day course held at the local College of the Rockies campus. To date, approximately 500 people have become Fernie Ambassadors since the program’s inception in 2015. The Chamber is also at the vanguard of trying to deal with the challenges of seasonal employment and a small labour market that makes it tough for local businesses to attract and retain quality staff. High staff turnover can be costly and disruptive to the day-to-day running of any organization. We aim to help in this arena by providing a toolbox for businesses to understand best hiring practices, the latest foreign worker programs, post-secondary training programs, recruitment assistance, and by trying to foster a business culture that people want to work in. Speaking of the front line, the Fernie Visitor Information Centre (just to the northeast of town along Highway 3) is the “front door” of Fernie and has a few new faces this summer. We are excited to work under the umbrella of Destination BC’s Visitor Services Network and with the support of the City of Fernie. We have been busy training the visitor services staff to provide the most accurate and relevant information to our visitors with outstanding customer service this summer. Watch out for the mobile visitor information kiosk at local events this summer season.
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Look for the Mobile Visitor Kiosk at local events.
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Tourism – What Makes Fernie Special? By Karen Pepper Marketing Manager Fernie Alpine Resort Tourism – it’s the business we are in and we love it! We all work diligently to take care of the guests that visit us, providing them with exceptional opportunities and experiences, and actively encouraging them to return. At the same time, we need to create and promote reasons for new guests to visit us. Luckily, Fernie is a very special and inspiring place - the mountains, the rivers, the trails, the wildlife, and the community. It’s a place that others naturally dream about escaping to - and when they arrive, they often don’t want to leave (isn’t that how many of us ended up here?!) Consider for a moment what draws visitors to our mountain town. The snow, scenery, small-town charm and outdoor recreation come to mind. But what differentiates Fernie from other small mountain towns? First – our town is filled with passionate leaders and community members that love where they live and are eager to share it with others. This is key - believing in and loving what you are “selling” to others. It’s something that I hear over and over from visitors “Everyone in this town is so friendly and helpful!”. From a ski patroller helping a guest get down the mountain when they’ve gotten in a little over their head, to a local on the chairlift talking to guests about the best place to eat in town, I believe (through my experiences) that our staff and community members are among the most guest-centric in the world. Second - Fernie has a diverse and robust events calendar. Numerous organizations
contribute to this – the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, The Arts Station, the Fernie Museum, the Fernie Heritage Library, Fernie Alpine Resort, our local recreation & sports organizations, and more. Just take a look at the events calendar on Tourism Fernie’s website – you’ll be challenged to find an empty day anywhere. Some are general events that can draw a large diverse market, and some are more specific sporting or cultural events. But these events all have one thing in common – the great potential to bring guests to our town who then have the chance to enjoy our hotels, restaurants and other activities. Hopefully these visitors return, while also spreading the good word about Fernie to their friends. And the cycle continues… We at Fernie Alpine Resort run a busy and successful event program, with events occurring weekly throughout the winter and summer operational seasons. Our challenge and focus now lies in creating unique events and programs to attract guests to visit us in the spring or fall months, when the lifts aren’t spinning. These shoulder seasons are generally a bit of a relief to the hectic pace that the tourism industry carries through the winter and summer, but this is also a key opportunity to grow, help fill hotels, and keep a solid level of activity for all of our businesses that rely heavily on the influx of tourists. Recent initiatives at FAR include extending the summer season with one or more bonus weekends, and ensuring that there are key events to help draw visitors to the resort. This summer, we are planning one bonus weekend on September 7th and 8th, and are excited to be the host venue for the Tears & Gears event (Saturday) and the Mountain Market (Sunday). Through the fall, we plan to carry on with a couple of events that were developed last year (Oktoberfest and the Kids Halloween Party & Haunted House), hopefully add another event to the fall program, and create some unique and exciting new events for spring 2020. Stay tuned!
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RESIDENT & BUSINESS SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
RESIDENT SURVEY
BUSINESS SURVEY
• The resident survey attracted 583 total participants surpassing the goal of 400 and achieving a response rate of over 10% of the local population
• The local business survey attracted 113 total participants with over 90% indicating they were the owner/operator or senior managers of the business
• 83% of the participants live in Fernie full-time with an average time of living in Fernie at 15 years
• 88% of the businesses indicated that more than 25% of their revenue is from tourism. Over 60% of businesses indicated over 50% is from tourism
• 67% were 50 years of age or younger, 33% were over • 69% did not work directly in the tourism sector, yet 48% do earn some level of income from tourism
• 16% were accommodators, 40% restaurants/retail, 31% attractions/arts/activities, 10% business services/ education, 5% construction/real estate, 4% resource
WHAT WE HEARD - HIGHTLIGHTS
• Most are supportive of tourism, but not all. When residents were asked about whether the benefits of tourism outweigh the negative impacts 69% agreed, 17% were neutral and 14% disagreed • Top common benefits of tourism were: • Business, employment and income opportunties within tourism and related areas such as arts and culture • Increased access to recreational experiences, events, shops, restaurants, staff for businesses due to the community’s attractiveness as a place to live • Increased vibrancy and energy in the community, especially downtown as a result of activities / events and the number and diversity of people attracted to the community • Top common challenges of tourism were: • Overcrowding / at capacity at peak times and across multiple areas, and over use of some natural areas • Future risk of losing community authenticity / small town feel • Availability and affordability of places to live in Fernie • Variable / seasonal visitation throughout the year impacting business success and staff retention year-round • Over 65% of residents indicated there is more capacity to grow visitation during the spring and fall seasons, yet less than 40% indicated there was room to grow summer and winter visitation. Businesses indicated over 83% and 50% respectively • Who is responsible for ensuring that tourism develops in a way that supports community goals? • Residents indicated - 94% City of Fernie, 86% Tourism Fernie, 72% Fernie Alpine Resort, 71% locals and businesses, 64% Fernie Chamber of Commerce • Businesses indicated - 94% Tourism Fernie, 83% City of Fernie, 77% Local Businesses and Fernie Alpine Resort, 71% Fernie Chamber of Commerce, 69% Provincial Government, 67% Residents
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RESIDENT & BUSINESS SURVEY TOURISM VISION THEMES
The Tourism Master Plan Vision will eventually describe the big outcome we hope to achieve, and is intended to be used as a compass for all we do together as a network of organizations and individuals related to tourism.To begin to understand, we asked residents and businesses the following:
Thinking 10 years down the road, use words to describe what tourism in and around Fernie should look like in your mind.
RESIDENT VISION THEMES
BUSINESS VISION THEMES
• Four season tourism is a desirable part of Fernie’s future and within that residents talk about managed + sustainable tourism, with increasing destination visitors.
• Four season tourism attracting regional and international guests who wish to integrate respectfully into small town local life and businesses.
• Tourism that benefits and supports community needs as it grows is important as are visitors enthusiastic about what Fernie offers.
• Strategic and managed growth that expands the benefits of tourism while proactively managing the challenges such as housing and staffing.
• Protecting nature and maintaining small town feel or community identity were common themes along with a desire for respectful visitors.
• Continued emphasis on outdoor and authentic community experiences for visitors of all ages.
• Outdoor activities (soft and hard) remain very prominent as an attraction though some respondents recognized a desire/need for diversifying into indoor and cultural activities for different visitors.
RESIDENT SURVEY RESPONSES
“A vibrant town visited by domestic & international tourists that still has the community feel and the values we share now. I wouldn’t like Fernie to lose the special feel it has now, ie. Not becoming Banff or Whistler. Finding a healthy balance between being a destination for people to visit but not losing the special feeling.”
“More people coming here to enjoy the great biking, hiking and winter sports we have to offer and appreciate the clean outdoor environment we have. I can see fall and spring getting busier as well as summer, businesses benefiting, increased trail networks and some more indoor rainy day facilities / activities.”
• An increasing emphasis on environmentally conscious behaviours by both industry and visitors.
BUSINESS SURVEY RESPONSES
“Balanced investment with a focus on impeccable execution. Targeted regional visitors willing to respectfully contribute to our local vibe (and economy) while enjoying a small town boutique type of experience. I would like to see diverse tourism opportunities that do not overwhelm one single sector and tip the scales towards a single ‘crowd’ in our community. Fernie is more than just skiing and mountain biking... let’s celebrate the diverse recreational opportunities and history of this place.”
TOURISMPLANFERNIE.COM THE TOURISM MASTER PLAN IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM:
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ISSW 2020 By Christine Grimble Media & Project Co-ordinator Tourism Fernie Fernie is no stranger to hosting festivals and events, however, there is growing excitement as our community prepares to welcome its first truly large-scale conference! In 2016, Fernie was selected to host the 22nd International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) Conference, to be held October 4th-9th, 2020. This biennial conference, which alternates between Canada, USA and Europe, brings together researchers and practitioners from all over the world to facilitate the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas and experiences. Fernie will welcome approximately 1000 participants from over 25 countries, bringing an estimated economic benefit of over $2M to the local & regional industry during the off-season, supporting sustainable tourism. The exposure of this event within the international marketplace and to those committed to the snow science industry, will provide a greater awareness of our destination. Additionally, the hosting of this event provides an opportunity to lay a foundation for future meetings & conferences. The 2020 conference will be all encompassing for the tourism industry, as the need for accommodation, transportation, dining, shopping and activities will all play an important role. While the day-to-day of the conference will be held in the Fernie Memorial Arena, Curling Club and Community Centre, expect to see conference badges all over town! The week-long program includes close to 400 research presentations, exhibitor trade show, industry meetings, networking opportunities, social events, field trips and more. Hosting an event of this magnitude does not happen overnight, it takes vision, drive and industry support. Early in 2016, the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) contacted its members citing the need for a Canadian location for the 2020 ISSW Conference. Local
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CAA and ACMG member Steve Kuijt, recognized the potential this event would have for Fernie and started the ball rolling. The Fernie ISSW Task Force Committee was established with representatives from Tourism Fernie, Fernie Chamber of Commerce, City of Fernie and business community partners, who then began to lay the foundations for a 2020 Bid Proposal. Steve Kuijt and Christine Grimble presented the bid at the 2016 ISSW Conference, held in Breckenridge, USA. The proposal clearly articulated a “grassroots” experience, which was embraced by the ISSW Committee, who unanimously voted to award Fernie the 2020 conference. The Elk Valley Snow Avalanche Workshop Society (EVSAW), a not-for-profit organization, was created in 2018 to support the ISSW 2020 event and contribute to ongoing avalanche awareness and education in Fernie and surrounding area. Further support of the conference was secured with CIL Avalanche Explosives, represented by local Braden Schmidt, quickly stepping up as the Presenting Sponsor, along with Teck as the National Supporting Sponsor. Fernie representatives attended the 2018 ISSW Conference held in Innsbruck, Austria to showcase Fernie as the next host destination, presenting to 300 delegates at the closing event, Fernie Night. As a lead-in to the 2020 event, EVSAW hosted its first regional Snow Avalanche Workshop event in November 2018, attracting over 200 participants and shared a similar format with presentations on a variety of snow and avalanche related topics. While International Conference Services (ICS) has been contracted to assist with the conference organization, local business and organization involvement are imperative to the success of the conference. So let’s all work together to showcase Fernie in its finest for ISSW 2020! For more information, contact Steve Kuijt at steve@issw2020.com or visit www. issw2020.com
Proud to be celebrating our 33rd year in the Fernie Tourism Industry! Thanks to our amazing staff members who have made this possible! We’re known for our Cat Skiing, Fly fishing and Wildlife Viewing….but,
DID YOU KNOW
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Heritage Tourism By Ron Ulrich Executive Officer Fernie Museum I Heritage Fernie Appreciated by visitors year-round for the authenticity of our community, Fernie’s heritage buildings, unique culture, creative cuisine and vibrant arts programs provide for a deeper connection. What differentiates us from other communities in our region are the stories that define us. We are survivors of mine disasters, epic fires, mine closures and economic strife. We have adapted at every turn, always for the better. Evidence of these stories are found all through our community’s rich heritage buildings and at our local museum. To ensure that these stories, and these buildings, continue to shine, a team of likeminded community heritage advocates, along with the City of Fernie and interested residents, are developing the Fernie Heritage Strategy in tandem with the development of the Fernie Tourism Master Plan. Each of these two plans are informing the other, so intrinsically tied is the authenticity of our community to tourism development. Both strategies are also being developed with the assistance of Janice Alpine, Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Association, to ensure that the entire story of this valley, which is significantly larger than the short period of European immigration and settlement, is told. And for good reason! Visiting heritage enthusiasts tend to spend more money per day and stay longer, especially since the average income of heritage tourism enthusiasts is notably higher than other habitual tourists. 2.6 million Canadians identify themselves as heritage enthusiasts and are attracted to Canada’s unique historic places. 55 per cent of this group ensure that they include Canada’s historic places in their travel plans. Available statistics in various individual markets like the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and India reveal a consistent pattern. Culture and heritage tourists often stay longer and spend a lot more money in general than other tourists do. One study showed that culture and heritage tourists spend as much as 38 per cent higher per day and stay 22 per cent longer compared to other kinds of travellers. Culture and heritage tourists say they often extend their stay because of a heritage
activity and the majority of these travellers stay at least one night in their chosen destination, but economic benefits are not the only reason why heritage tourism may be good for the community. As Simon Thurley of English Heritage has shown in his Heritage Cycle, heritage tourism has benefits that can be generally be categorized into three groups: economic, social and environmental. Reaching beyond the purely income-related, some of these include; • Boosts tax revenues and creates new jobs and businesses • Sustains and promotes new and existing events and attractions • Supports small businesses and enables them to expand • Promotes the active preservation and protection of important local resources • Helps encourage the development and maintenance of new/existing community amenities • Promotes preservation of local traditions, customs and culture by attracting new audiences • Helps improve the community’s image and pride and promotes community beautification • Provides research, education and work-placement opportunities for students • Creates enjoyable opportunities for both local residents and visitors • Boosts investment in heritage resources and amenities, and awareness of sites, attractions and area significance • Helps encourage local residents and visitors to be mindful about their impact on the natural and built environment There is evidence that by helping to maintain buildings of character, culture and heritage tourism can also contribute to planning innovation and business diversification. Small businesses based in amazing buildings are typically innovators and provide a core for other larger businesses. By respecting and cherishing our heritage buildings we preserve a unique part of our community’s appeal. These buildings help to define and inform us, providing a footprint that we can grow from. This benefits not only the visitor, but the entire community.
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Thursday, June 6, 2019 Page B11
A Brief History of Island Lake, The Cedar Valley and Fernie By Mike McPhee Marketing Director, Island Lake Lodge Photographer/Writer The limestone spires of the Three Bears in the Lizard Range rise above Island Lake and the Cedar Valley like sentinels guarding a secret place. The unique topography, coastal-style old growth forest and unique microclimate make it a very special place indeed. Island Lake has been woven into the fabric of the Fernie area since the town was first settled. Starting early on, Island Lake was both a place to work, as the Cedar Valley had active logging in its early days, and a place to recreate, hunt and fish. Fast forward to the last 30 years, during which time Island Lake has become an internationally-famous catskiing destination and has been highlighted in countless magazines, TV shows and movies around the world, adding to Fernie’s international reputation. The symbiotic relationship continues to this day with Island Lake being a major area attraction, employer, community supporter and popular local hangout. The Land In 2010, 97 per cent of Island Lake’s 7,000 acres received the designation of a Nature Reserve from the province. This comes with several stipulations including maintaining trails and access to the public, and monitoring various environmental metrics. Island Lake now has over 100 kms of maintained and well-signed trails which are used by thousands of people every summer. In winter, Island Lake regularly grooms a Nordic trail all the way to the lodge and around the lake. This has become a local favourite and is well-used by the public. Island Lake also provides access to Thunder Meadows Hut and the ski touring area that surrounds it via the property. The Lazy Lizard bike trail, built through a partnership with the Fernie Trails Alliance, has quickly become a favourite in the area. One of the main pillars of Island Lake’s business and guiding philosophy is to foster strong local partnerships and support the community as much as possible. This is shown through purchasing local whenever possible, using local services, supporting various community groups, and staff volunteering for a multitude of local organizations. All in all, Island Lake Lodge is a proud member of Fernie’s business community and will continue to foster close relationships and partnerships far into the future. The special little lake and at the top of the Cedar Valley will continue to be integrated into the fabric of Fernie, as it has been for over 100 years.
A Brief Timeline of Island Lake and the Cedar Valley 1874 - Prospector and trapper Michael Phillips names Lizard Creek for the “little green lizards” he finds at the head waters around Island Lake. They are actually short-toed salamanders and the Lizard Range is then named for them. 1904 - 1924 - Photographer Joseph F. Spalding photographs Fernie and the area, including a few visits to Island Lake. He is one of the first people to start talking about tourism in the area. 1914 - The Fernie Alpine Club makes the suggestion that Island Lake be stocked with fish and a preserve put on the lake. 1920 - A short rail-line is built up the lower Cedar Valley to haul logs down to West Fernie. 1920s - 1930s - Locals continue to hunt, fish and enjoy the lands around Island Lake. Logging continues on the lower property. Forest fires continue to change the landscape but leave most of the upper Cedar Valley untouched. Late 1940s - Skiing becomes a popular pastime and locals make good use of the trails up to Island Lake. 1967/68 - Geisha House is built on the site of the current lodges from rough-hewn logs by some local forestry workers. It burns down before being finished, but lives on in area lore. 1988 - The Bear Lodge is built and the first snowcat is delivered. 1994 - Greg Stump films P-tex, Lies and Duct tape with Craig Kelly and Scot Schmidt. Mark Gallup takes a number of signature photos. 1995 - Shell Canada, who are leasing the land to Island Lake, puts the entire 7,000 acres up for sale. Dan McDonald, Dale Bowman, Bob Langfield, and current partners have 30 days to come up with the money. They end up finding sixteen investors at the 11th hour. 1996 - MSP films Fetish. Seth Morrison is filmed coming down Big White in one of the deepest segments most people had seen at the time. 2002 - Warren Miller films a segment of Ride at Island Lake with Craig Kelly and Jonovan Moore. Teton Gravity Research films a segment of their movie The Prophecy with Scot Schmidt, Micah Black and Travis Rice. 2010/11 - Sherpas Cinema film a large portion of their award-winning movie ALL.I.CAN at Island Lake and Mica Heliskiing. They also produce a TV show, The Balance of Powder, for the two operations. The Balance of Powder has now been broadcast to over 1 billion homes around the world and has close to 3 million views on Youtube. 2016 – Teton Gravity Research returns to Island Lake and films a segment for their movie, Tight Loose.
Happy Tourism Week!
Our Summer Season runs from June 7th - October 7th Monday Date Nights - All Summer! 2 entrées, 2 glasses of bubbly and an appetizer to share - $99 per couple Wine Tasting Wednesday - All Summer! 4 courses paired with wine - $99 per person Best Advice Ever - Hike More Island Lake has over 100 kms of signed and maintained hiking trails, accessible right from the lodge. Guided hikes are available.
More Spa Time! You Deserve it. Life is busy and full of sensory overload. Our spa offers a variety of treatments derived from ancient healing traditions and the breathtaking natural landscape that surrounds us. Packages are available. Treat yourself to one of our spa packages such as: CEDAR RETREAT: A calming lavender foot-bath to unwind before an organic coconut oil, salt & sugar scrub that will leave you glowing from head to toe. This is followed by a warm mountain water rinse and full body application of SOCO Soaps hydrating body butter, enriched with skin-loving essential oils. Complete your spa visit with a 90 minute therapeutic massage tailored to your specific needs. $215 / 2.5 hours
Avoid disappointment - call ahead to inquire about reservations and availability. Check our website for restaurant hours, spa and dining menus and accommodation packages.
islandlakelodge.com
1.250.423.3700
Follow: @islandlakelodge
Page B12 Thursday, June 6, 2019
Celebrating Tourism — The Free Press
www.thefreepress.ca
Why Tourism Matters ~ Courtney Baker, Wildsight Elk Valley Fernie is a wealth of ecological wonders that need to be experienced on foot, bike, of boat to be fully appreciated. Getting visitors out into our wild spaces allows them to be exposed to our natural beauty and hopefully be inspired to protect it. Once a tourist is surrounded by old growth cedars or sees fish jumping in the Elk River it is impossible to not feel connected to this place. Tourism lets us show off the biodiversity we are fortunate to have yet allows for the opportunity to educate people on why protecting our wild places is so important and highlights the role one has, from local to global, in keeping nature natural.
~ Jackie Graham, The Fernie & District Arts Council, The Arts Station Enriching cultural tourism is a cornerstone of the FDAC mandate. Part of FDAC’s mission is to provide opportunities for visitors to Fernie to participate in arts and cultural activities. Tourism allows FDAC to widen their reach in the arts and culture sector, thereby increasing exposure for local and emerging artists. Tourism creates conversations between patrons who frequent the Arts Station, and those who are being exposed to what the organization has to offer for the first time. It creates a platform for connection and an increasingly layered network within Fernie’s artistic community and the arts and culture sector at large. Wildsight’s Wild Nature Birding Hike
~ Veronique Roy & Jason Burt, Snow Valley Lodging
Veronique & Jason showing off their new Tiny Homes
Today, the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports or food products. This growth goes hand in hand with an increasing diversification and competition among destinations. Fernie is no different. We are located in a majestic area and our guests remind us every day! Tourism is an extremely important income for our community, Snow Valley Lodging has been in operation since early 1960 and because of our increasing visitation we as a small business are able to offer unique experiences with the addition of our Tiny Homes, a newer product which is very exciting for us and the tourism industry.
Lindsey proudly showcasing her downtown day spa
~ Lindsay Reynolds, Three Sisters Day Spa Tourism has had a very positive impact on the growth of Three Sisters. With the support from both our local clientele, and from visitors to Fernie, we are seeing less of a shoulder season each year. With this, our team is able to treat guests year round, and continue to offer new services and products to keep up with the growing industry. Tourism in Fernie allows new and established businesses to grow and succeed!
~ Francesca ter Poorten, Essential Yoga Studio
Elevation Industries shop owner Lance Edwards heading to work, Fernie style
~ Christy Sutherland, Elevation Industries Tourism is an essential part of the Fernie culture, by contributing to a healthy economy it has created a year round, sustainable environment for businesses to grow and thrive, as well as the opportunity for new and improved infrastructure throughout town. We have a wider range of restaurants, shopping, recreational activities and events, which all leads to increased employment and more opportunities for people to experience life in this awesome mountain town! Personally, we are incredibly grateful to receive both local and visitor support in our own business, and that this support allows us to give back and participate in this community that we love to live in.
Francesca doing what she does best
Tourism is important to our business for many reasons. One is that we love to have shiny friendly faces show up from all over the world to welcome into our community to enjoy something that we all share in common. As well, people from other places bring their gifts to our studio. They give us an opportunity to connect with someone new and different, to hear a little bit about their experiences. They let us know what’s new in the yoga world and offer us essential feedback on our tiny little cozy yoga community.