Kinosoo Ridge and the MD of Bonnyville want the public to tell them what they think of turning the resort into a year-round destination.
Residents are being asked to share their suggestions about what Kinosoo Ridge can add to their expansion plans to make it the best facility possible.
To garner feedback and share their ideas, Kinosoo Ridge and the MD of Bonnyville held two open houses on June 19 and 20.
“We brought it out to the public for their comments,” explained Reeve Greg Sawchuk. “We’re looking for some more ideas, and are just wanting to throw it out there for people to start to think and get excited about the project.”
The presentation addressed current concerns with Kinosoo, and encouraged people to make suggestions to improve the plan.
“Parking is a concern right now. They addressed that during the presentation,” said Dan Iverson, Ardmore resident and Alpine skiing coach. “I think it’s a huge downfall that we don’t use (Kinosoo Ridge) all year, and utilizing it all summer is something that we need to do.”
While there have been plans in the past for the ski hill that have faltered in the planning stages, Sawchuk said this time organizing has been on the go for a couple of months.
Matt Bakker, resort planner for the Kinosoo Ridge project, shared some ideas on how he plans to turn the local resort into a four-season destination.
“A lot of what we’re doing is looking at what Kinosoo already has, seeing what’s really working well for them, and identifying some untapped potential to improve the resort,” Bakker detailed.
One of the ideas is adding glamping glamping opportunities. Glamping is camping in semi-permanent features called yurts. They include amenities such as fresh bed linens, hot tubs, and food services.
Other suggestions include dry slide tubing, a hillside mini golf course, and nature trails.
“The idea is that we’re creating a range of activities so we can appeal to a range of guests of Albertans and Canadians,” explained Bakker.
The concept consists of improvements to Kinosoo’s already established winter resort, by enhancing the tube park, making it easier for guests to access the property from the chalet, winter trail development, expanding on the winter festival, and adding yurts to the property for winter glamping.
The concept plans are available to view on the MD’s website.
