The Larch Hills Nordic Society is feeling the need for more space.
Society members will be voting at the next regular meeting to approve a planned expansion to the log ski chalet at the base of the ski area.
The current chalet, which is 1200 square feet, serves a membership base of 968 skiers and is frequently overflowing with participants, especially on Saturdays when both the ski team and Jackrabbits skiers are participating. Also the chalet is too small during many ski team practices, school ski trips, and during the Christmas season when many skiers take advantage of the trails.
In a report to the members, the expansion committee notes that although Larch Hills has one of the highest memberships in B.C., it has a smaller chalet than every other B.C. club except one.
The committee is advocating an expansion that would triple the size of the facility to 3600 square feet.
The committee also considered the impacts of climate change on a proposed site for the facility, but noted that other ski clubs have built facilities at lower elevations, and moving the existing infrastructure and developing a trail system at a higher elevation would be prohibitively expensive and does not appear to be warranted.
“If, in the future, climate change is such that the present stadium area will no longer receive sufficient snowfall for skiing, the area will likely be well used by out-of-season groups for many years to come… Our Chalet Expansion Committee is confident that this amazing recreational area will be used for cross-country skiing for many years to come,” states the committee report.
The addition would retain the existing bathrooms and electrical, while the roof would be replaced to match the new part of the structure. The cost of the expansion is estimated at $407,000.
The vote will be held Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. in room one of the recreation centre. Only club members are entitled to cast ballots.