April 23, 1996
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)
Mild winter affects Marble Mountain
Sandra Kelly, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, today announced a $698,000 operating deficit for the Marble Mountain Development Corporation for the 1995/96 fiscal year.
"Unusually mild winter temperatures in Atlantic Canada this year have adversely affected ski hills from Newfoundland to New Brunswick," Dr. Bob Sexton, chairman of the Marble Mountain Development Corporation said. "Mild temperatures combined with unseasonable levels of snowfall have resulted in a short operating season for Marble Mountain. The ski facilities operated for only 89 days in 1995/96 compared with 122 days in 1994/95."
In an effort to reduce expenditures, the Board of Directors for the Marble Mountain Development Corporation elected to scale-down operations during the mild winter months and later to close the facility on March 22, 1996. On April 18, 1996, the Board of Directors took further action and notified five employees of their temporary lay-off, effective May 3, 1996.
"The board has developed a contingency, interim plan for the upcoming summer and fall months," Ms. Kelly said. "We firmly expect that all planned, summer activities will proceed as per normal. Given that there will be no further capital development of the facility for the next year or two, government will need to review, however, the role of the development corporation itself."
The minister also said today that government will proceed with its current plans to privatize Marble Mountain. In 1994/95 Marble Mountain showed an operating profit of $188,954.
"Despite a very difficult year for the ski facility, the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation continues to look upon Marble Mountain as a significant travel generator for the province," Ms. Kelly said.
Contact: Laura Cochrane, Public Relations Director, (709) 729-0928, fax: (709)729-0870.
| 1996 04 23 | 3:25 p.m. |
