Property that once made up part of the Drumheller ski hill has been sold, and the buyer is none other than the Canadian Badlands Passion Play.
Last year Community Futures Big Country, which owned the mortgage on the property that was previously co-owned by Ski the Badlands and the Passion Play, foreclosed. This area makes up the base of the hill from about the first chairlift tower, down and it includes the ski lodge and the parking area. The Town of Drumheller currently owns the slope part of the hill.
Passion Play general manger Vance Neudorf is happy they were able to buy the land.
“We are definitely excited,” said Neudorf.
He said they have already begun to utilize the lodge. Under the previous agreement the Passion Play was only able to use the lodge during the summer months. Now they will be able to use it year round.
“What dreams or plans we have for further use are yet to be determined but it is nice to have it,” said Neudorf.
They have cleaned out and painted the downstairs area and have begun to put in offices. The rental area will be a meeting room/actors green room.
“It is very nicely done. We have had a lot of guys doing volunteer services from the pen. They have been patching and cleaning up. It is coming along, the building is starting to take shape and look really good,” said Neudorf.
He adds that it was important they secure their parking lot for performance days.
Neudorf said the Passion Play is open to working with groups interested in looking at exploring recreational opportunities such as opening the ski hill, but there are many challenges such an endeavour would face. He said the manufacturer of the lift no longer exists.
“The company went out of business in 2003 and quite frankly you can pick these lifts up because people are dumping them, they don’t want the headache anymore,” said Neudorf. “We understand from talking to people the whole pumping system is barely cobbled together… When you look at all of those, yeah there are definitely major obstacles.”
“Every year that goes by that dream fades a little bit more.”
