The fight against the Jumbo resort development 55 kilometres west of Invermere, B.C. has taken on an Olympic twist.
Several retired winter Olympians, including Canmore’s Beckie Scott, Sara Renner and Thomas Grandi, have voiced their opposition to the project, stating there are limits to development.
“It’s unfortunate that the Province has OK’d a remote real estate development tied to melting glaciers, smack in the heart of critically important grizzly bear range. It makes no sense. This proposal isn’t about skiing, it’s about real estate,” said the athletes in a statement.
Although the B.C. government approved the Jumbo development a month ago, the athletes want to warn potential investors this is an undesirable project and they should take their dollars elsewhere.
“My personal feelings are very strongly opposed based on the environmental destruction and degradation caused by the Jumbo development. The world doesn’t need another ski resort,” said Scott, who used to own a home in Panorama.
The billion-dollar resort has been in the works for 20 years and plans to offer year-round alpine skiing. The plan would see 1,400 condos and 23 lifts across four glaciers built.
The athletes state the resort would have an adverse affect on grizzly bear populations, economic stability and watershed health. First Nations groups are also opposed to the project.
“Everything points to this being a very bad idea. As a mother now, I’m deeply concerned with the direction we’re going in terms of development,” said Scott.
Canadian Alpine Ski Team athletes have trained on the glacier in the past, but abandoned it in 2009 due to slushy conditions.
Nine ski resorts are within a three-hour drive of the proposed Jumbo resort, and environmentalists note the resort would fragment grizzly bear habitat. A $200 million road through avalanche terrain would be built to access the resort, which would carry a maintenance pricetag similar to that of Roger’s Pass.
Scott became involved in the battle against Jumbo five years ago. She said the majority of Invermere residents oppose the plan.
Other high profile athletes such as former New Jersey Devils defenceman Scott Niedermayer, para-Olympian Josh Dueck and four-time Olympic cycling and speed skating medallist Kristina Groves also signed on to the petition.
“The athletes were overwhelmingly supportive of this. This is a group of people who have come together for the greater good,” Scott said.
She’s hiked into the region and said it’s a place that should be preserved, not sold off.
“It’s spectacular – the quintessential Canadian Rockies experience. It’s a place that needs to be seen on foot or on skis,” Scott said.
John Bergenske, executive director of WildSight, an advocacy group opposing the Jumbo development, said winter athletes know development needs to grow in the right place, and the Jumbo site is not one of them.
“It’s very important to have (support from)leading Canadian athletes. It demonstrates clearly this development is not something that’s needed for the future of winter sport,” Bergenske said. “It also tells investors this is not the place to go and it’s not supported by the local or broader community.”
The Invermere Chamber of Commerce has expressed its support for the development, but a large cross-section of other residents and visitors have opposed it. When a group of French investors visited the site, they were greeted by protestors.
“I think they understand the broader community is not in favour of this,” Bergenske said.
While the area is home to moose, wolverines, elk, cougars and lynx, environmental research, Bergenske said, shows the area is a critical linkage zone grizzly bears use to move down the Columbia Mountain Range.
“The bears are moving through east to west Kootenay on the edge of the Purcell Conservency. They’re doing well there, but increased access will cause a break in their movement,” Bergenske said.
While many doubt the development will ever happen, there is an appetite for the project to flourish in the B.C. legislature.
Last week, the B.C. government introduced legislation that would allow the government to set up a municipality and appoint a mayor and council for ‘Resort Municipalities.’ That would allow the Province to essentially create a municipality with a population of zero.
“It would give Jumbo the ability to control their land use and bypass regional government,” Bergenske said.
However, Scott remains hopeful the area will remain wild.
“We’re in a wait-and-see moment. We’ll continue to support the conservation society. The fight is not over,” Scott said.
