BANFF, AB – An old electrical power line that dates back to the late 1970s is coming down this week at Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort.
The line is no longer needed after the main underground power supply to the Village area was upgraded in the summer of 2010 by Fortis Alberta, the utility company.
About 1.6 km of power line stretching from the parking lot area to the top of Goat’s Eye Mountain is coming down, along with 18 utility poles. Once the poles are taken down, a crew of 10 are manually removing the hardware before a helicopter is brought in to the fly the pieces out.
“It’s a piece of history that’s coming down,” said Gord Hofer, the Fortis Project Manager who is overseeing the removal.
“With the overhead power lines gone, avalanche control and other visitor safety operations which often involve a helicopter, have been made safer,” said Aaron Beardmore, Acting Visitor Safety Manager, Mountain National Parks, Parks Canada.
Sunshine Village’s leasehold is primarily within the boundaries of Banff National Park, underscoring the need for environmental excellence in the pristine natural area.
Hofer says the work is just part of ongoing upgrades, which all are subject to Parks Canada approval. “We’d like to ultimately get rid of all the overhead lines,” Hofer said.
John Scurfield, Sunshine’s Vice-President of Marketing, said the operation is just the latest in millions of dollars of upgrades in the past few years – all to enhance safety and customer experience. The upgrades ensure a more secure power supply for uninterrupted lift operations.
The access road to Sunshine Village will be closed for three 20-minute periods on Wednesday. Anyone planning a hike that day is advised to check with White Mountain Adventures to avoid inconvenience.
Nelson's Whitewater Ski Resort is one of our favourites, and this episode of the Snow Show will demonstrate why. Read More
Rossland, British Columbia, home to Red Mountain Resort, is a town that is stoked in ski history. Read More
Our digital coupon book saves you money on accommodations, gear, restaurants, and more. Also available in our app! Read More
Not sure what resort to visit next? Our Resort Recommender will tell you where to go, based on what you want. Read More
SITE FEATURES
19046 cm
YouTube
LinkedIn