Following the hassle that developed as a result of the Regional Conservation Authoritys request for proposals for operation of a portion of the Hiawatha Highlands ski trails that is on its property, a couple of questions kept nagging at me:
Why would the authority do this? Why would it so needlessly fragment a trail system that has served this community so well for so long.
So I asked.
It decided to go this route, according to Ernie Gulyas, chair of the authority, as a result of the dissolution of the Sault Trails and Recreation (STAR) organization this past spring.
The Conservation Authority, being a semi-autonomous quasi-government body, cannot hand its land over to one or another because of the accusations that would come forward that we gave it to our buddies, he said in regard to the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Clubs interest, after STARs demise, in taking over operation of all the trails, somewhere around 35 kilometres in total, that also wind their way over Kinsmen, MNR and privately-owned land.
However, that doesnt jibe with what City Solicitor Lorie Bottos told me. When I asked him whether the authority had to go with a request for proposals or could just allow the use of its land, he said:
They could, just like the city can allow people to use its land. In terms longer than 21 years an appraisal and other requirements of the Municipal Act would have to be met, but thats not the case with the authority; the proposal call is for a year-to-year agreement.
Gulyas was not to be swayed.
The problem is perception, he said. We are back in that syndrome that Caesars wife must not only be pure, she must appear to be pure. You have got to be absolutely above board to not be vulnerable to someone screaming, or even suing, that you gave it to your buddies.
One group wanted to take it over, but at dissolution (of STAR) I made it very clear that the Conservation Authority could not just hand over its property without everybody having the opportunity of bidding.
If only one comes, thats fine, but everyone had a chance.
There are two bids, The Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club and the Heyden Adventure Base Camp operated by Brian Anstess. However, both want terms well above the year-to-year arrangement suggested by the authority, which only makes sense considering the money each would have to lay out for start-up.
The authority is looking for $10,500 ($7,500 for use of the trails and $3,000 for the parking lot) in its request for proposals, an amount I consider a small return for the problem posed by the authority in effect splitting its property off from the rest of the trail system.
As Gulyas made clear, the authority is only talking about its own property in the request for proposals and, considering the layout of the trails, this in reality means only the Lookout Trail. It is about eight kilometres in length with 7.5 kilometres owned by the authority and the remaining half kilometre or so privately owned.
To operate more, the winning bidder would have to make a deal with the Kinsmen Club for the use of its property and the 15 or so kilometres on land it leases from the MNR for $99 a year. This the ski club, which gained control of STARs assets (groomers, skis, computers, cash registers, etc.) when it dissolved, has essentially already done.
When you consider the trail system as a whole, you wonder who could have come up with the hare-brained scheme being espoused by the Conservation Authority.
Think about it. The authoritys operator would have no problem accessing the Lookout Trail, because that trail starts and ends on its property north of Fifth Line. But to get to the approximate eight kilometres the authority owns on the Crystal Creek Trail, its operator would have to cross Kinsmen Club property.
Conversely, to access the Red Pine Trail on MNR property south of Landslide Road, the Kinsmen Club, or whoever is operating its trail system, would have to cross about 800 metres of authority land.
Also, the ski club, if it is not successful in its bid for the authoritys portion of the trails, could find itself having to forge an agreement with the operator of the authoritys trails to continue to operate its Jack Rabbit program for beginners on the fairly flat Outlook Trail.
The worry I have in the authoritys seeming privatization plan for the ski trails is that by going private there is the distinct possibility of some fairly hefty increases in the cost of cross-country skiing. Private operators are there for one reason, to make money. Non-profit groups like the ski club and the Kinsmen Club are more than happy to break even.
Dave Urso, president of the Kinsmen Club, said the club got only about $8,000, about $1,500 a month for five months, a year out of STAR and not always that. On a couple of occasions when money wasnt being made by STAR, we waived it, he told me.
However, Urso said the club is prepared to work with whoever gets to operate the authoritys trails as the clubs main focus is to keep cross-country skiing alive at the facility. But it was evident the Kinsmen would prefer to work with the Nordic Ski Club and its proven track record.
Gulyas said the authority was seeking the $10,500 because it had expenses in the way of taxes and insurance.
We have to have insurance to protect ourselves, he said. They (whoever gets to operate its trails) have to have insurance so our business isnt in a liable position. Why should our insurance be in the position of being liable for an outside organization?
It wont be. The request for proposals says, The service provider must have in full force, during the term of utilizing the Conservation Authority property, public liability and property damage insurance in the preferred amount of not less than $5 million in the aggregate and must have the Conservation Authority as a named insured in such insurance.
And Kevin Hogan, president of the 50-year-old ski club, told me that when STAR dissolved, the club took over its insurance policy, $5 million in liability coverage meant for resort groups.
Personally, I would like to see the ski club, as a non-profit group, take over all the trails. Hogan said the club wants to build up the trails and already has a manager in place who is good at bringing in grant money.
He said the club has a vision of what should happen and is in discussion now with the Michigan Cup circuit in regard to getting a race here, which would draw a lot of Americans.
Urso said there was an all-Ontario meet here over three days in February that brought 300 kids and close to a million dollars to the community.
STAR was not there to make money; it was there to provide a much-needed recreational service for this community. I cant see why the Conservation Authority wants to swing away from this and come out with a profit, especially since Mayor John Rowswell and Councillors Neil DelBianco and Frank Manzo sit on its board.
One would think these three, since the city provides rinks for hockey and fields for soccer and baseball and gave Searchmont a loan it knows will never be repaid, would see the irony in turning it around for cross-country skiing, attempting to take from it rather than give.
Doug Millroy is editor emeritus of The Sault Star.
