Friends of Shames Mtn

[Bring On The Snow]

Google maps says it takes 15 hours from Vancouver. With snow does this turn into two days?

I've gone from Hope to Terrace without seeing bare pavement so it can defiantly be a a two day trip, ferry to Rupert also take a really long time deceivingly long drive up island and only like one sailing a day, also expensive as others have said.

[Pat303]

the northwests economy has been hard hit ,there are relatively few people with money to ski ,major markets are far away and there is no fly-in tourism to speak of so IMO any initiative will be local AND as other locals have mentioned ... anybody who doesnt live here hasnt a clue

Bingo! That's where a global ski co-op could have helped, until your trusted committee went and sabotaged it!

FOS=Fucked Our Selves

[snowful]

...(grapedrink you think Terrace is bad? Ha Ha come over the Charlottes and we'll chat.)...

Small town politics always seem to take on a more personal note, for better or worse.

About 30 years ago I went on a 2 week sea kayaking trip down and back up on the rain shadow side of the Queen Charlotte's south island. The politics may suck, but that is one remote, beautiful, and very wild place you live in. I loved it, and still think about it often. Probably the wildest adventure I will ever participate in.

Back on subject. Whether I'm in the market for a pair of skis, or a ski area, why would I think it necessary to go through a self-appointed committee that has no apparent authority?

Just asking. I'm ignorant on the subject of buying ski areas.

[XXX-er]

Bingo! That's where a global ski co-op could have helped, until your trusted committee went and sabotaged it!

FOS=Fucked Our Selves

not my commitee ,I live up here but I don't live in Terrace or "Rip Bum" as its also known

I am just pointing out the economy of the area and that its far from anything ...which is the big problem for putting bums on chairs

[LeeLau]

i thought you kayaked around there? At least Zymacord or Shames drainage? I know you don't tour much but you should check out the Fayzur chutes etc

[LeeLau]

Bingo! That's where a global ski co-op could have helped, until your trusted committee went and sabotaged it!

FOS=Fucked Our Selves

Pat- I have to ask. Do you think your cavalier mindset towards due diligence is representative of that of potential investors?

[Tin Woodsman]

Bingo! That's where a global ski co-op could have helped, until your trusted committee went and sabotaged it!

FOS=Fucked Our Selves

Pat -

Please expound upon why you believe the co-op is the superior structure as compared to the other potential options. Since you seem to have such a strong opinion on the matter, surely it is backed up by some research on the subject, no?

[Hugh Conway]

Pat -

Please expound upon why you believe the co-op is the superior structure as compared to the other potential options. Since you seem to have such a strong opinion on the matter, surely it is backed up by some research on the subject, no?

Please also detail the expected number of visits you will make to your "investment".

The likelihood of me ever going is less than 50/50 because it's in the middle of fucking nowhere, much less ever going back (the universal theme of visitors I've met is - great skiing pain in the ass to get to and likely won't go back)

[TJ Burpe]

Me thinks
good chance

Pat = Jamie

doing the global effect

[Eldo]

Pat303's attitude seems to be the same as some people who posted in one of the original Shames Mountain threads: That a global co-op sounds like a cool idea, and what the hell, it's only $500. If people have this mindset - that should the co-op fail, no big deal, a person is only out $500 - no wonder they don't think it necessary to spend time determining the best type of ownership.

When you think about it, making the share price so low is really quite brilliant. If it was, say $5,000, I doubt many people would be so willing to invest without carefully checking whether a co-op was in fact the best ownership option. The way it is now, the price of admission is so low that is might actually be possible to find enough "investors" willing to roll the dice on $500, and unfortunately also the future of Shames itself.

[bennymac]

Pat303

You said in your post "it makes no sense to me why a committee was formed after the Co-op began to evaluate options"

I think you are confused...it's FoS that are evaluating options.

Care to comment on that?

And as mentioned earlier, this is not a race. The first idea is not necessarily the best.

You also stated: "As I watch from the sidelines, it is safe to say my interest as a global investor and my willingness to invest 500 bucks (or more) is waning quickly."

Perfect...because if all the options for ownership are evaluated (due diligence) and a co-op is determined to be the best option than that means that your precious shares that you are threatening not to purchase will be available for me to buy.

It's because all options are being looked at that I am more likely to buy multiple shares if a co-op is formed. Due diligence is not scaring off potential investors of any value nor is it sabotaging anything.

The more SMC supporters blindly rage at the idea of a committee of locals wanting only what's best for their town and ski hill the less likely I am to invest in anything SMC does (not SMC's fault, this is more directed at their supporters against FoS)

Why is it that out of this "global community of investors" so often mentioned by die-hard supporters of SMC you are the only one posting on here that you won't be buying shares if FoS determines that a co-op is the best option?

Other than you (whose lost shares I will buy) to whom does FoS have to do "damage control" for? (PS I'll buy their shares too if you can name someone non-local)

Looking forward to you answering my questions...

[XXX-er]

i thought you kayaked around there? At least Zymacord or Shames drainage? I know you don't tour much but you should check out the Fayzur chutes etc

Oh yeah the easy stuff , been down the Kalum ,the clore ,upper williams and paddled 350kms from chicken creek in Smithers (but not mo-town) out to Dodge cove in Prince Rupert

fucking amazing area ,the 1st time I drove into terrace 8 years ago ,I got out of the truck looked around & thot wow if this was colorado the place would be full of chi-chi coffee bars,hot movie star girls in ugg boots & fur coats , gear stores on every corner and the house's would start at a million bucks ...but its Terrace so at the time they were like <100K

maybe we get to shames this year ...no rush

[BFD]

Cordova is a small isolated town on the ocean, accesible only by ferry or plane. We have a ski lift. Our lift is in excellent shape with all new chairs, top and bottom stations. Our area is run be a volunteer board and membership in the Sheridan Ski Club. Shames has two lifts and a little more vertical. But still like Mt. Eyak is not, nor will ever be a destination resort. Too remote. My opinion is this is a local issue. Terrace I think I saw has around 40,000 people in the area, Cordova has less than 2,000. The City Council and Chamber of Commerce need to make decisions. How important is Shames to the city. Mt. Eyak operates on a budget of a little more than $100,000 a year. Half comes from lift tickets, comunication tower leases and the city picking up the balance. It does not take much to keep a hill operating. The problems I see with Shames is the location. It is 22 miles from Terrace and I believe generates it's own power. The distance makes it hard for kids to access the hill after school or get there on their own. In Cordova the hill is right in town. My opinion is the people of Terrace if they want to continue to ski there need to buy it and make a commitment to keeping it running. An ecomic development grant would come in handy to get Shames on the grid if possible.

[dikhammer]

wow this whole thread is a little embarrassing to say the least....why dont you just have a scrappy little girlfight and get it over with. cant the two parties come together for a solution? anyways it seems unfortunate that the guy that started the whole thing looks like he is on the way out and i think the idea of a getting a global response is definitly one that could have helped this situation dearly. just my two cents

[Byron Sterner]

Actually, dikhammer, around town everything's just fine with the core locals.
Thanks BFD for the info. Sounds like you've got a similar situation there (60000 including Terrace, Kitimat, Pr Rupert and surrounding communities), and it works for you, so I'll pass your post along to some of the local FOS people as an example.

[dikhammer]

so a bunch of core locals are gonna fix everything? i guess i can expect new ownership it just mere seconds then.

[dikhammer]

by the way im from terrace and have been at shames since day 1. It sure was nice of Jamie to get this ball rolling. I think he deserves some respect and his idea of a global support has extreme merit. A bunch of core locals has gotten this place to where it is now.

So why not come together and quit fighting, do I have to start my own group called stop fighting and work together?

[Eldo]

The number of one-post jongs suddenly showing up in this thread is remarkable. Almost like someone was asking them to post and giving them convenient talking points.

Of course that would be almost as crazy as thinking that maybe it's just the same two people creating a bunch of aliases in support of their cause.

Nah, couldn't be.

[dikhammer]

um I kinda just jumped in here, but if ya have to know, I came up with these words all by my lonesome....ya my 8th grade teacher would be VERY impressed

[Eldo]

um I kinda just jumped in here, but if ya have to know, I came up with these words all by my lonesome....ya my 8th grade teacher would be VERY impressed

Unfortunately not your 8th Grade English teacher.

[dikhammer]

Unfortunately not your 8th Grade English teacher.

ohhh how unfortunate, It dont matter I'll still think of you in that special way. luv n hugs

[jfost]

I thought Eminem was from the D!?!

[garyfromterrace]

Press Release December 4, 2009

Friends of Shames Choose "Community Service Co-operative" Model

Following Town Hall meetings in Terrace and Prince Rupert, months of gathering information and researching options, several meetings with lawyers, business consultants, and current shareholders, the Friends of Shames (FoS) is confident that due diligence has been done and that the Community Service Co-operative is the legal structure to move forward with.

Who are the Friends of Shames?
The Friends of Shames (FoS) is a group of citizens from the communities of Terrace, Kitimat, and Prince Rupert who care about the future of Shames Mountain Ski Area. We believe that Shames Mountain enriches the quality of life for the surrounding communities and positively impacts the economic vitality of the region.

What are the Friends of Shames doing?
The Friends of Shames Steering Committee is gathering information for the purposes of:
- determining the strongest, most effective business model for ensuring the long term viability of Shames Mountain Ski Area
- developing a business plan that will see Shames Mountain owned and operated in a way that is:
- economically viable for the long term;
- managed to create benefits for skiers and the community;
- governed by people and the community, not by share capital;
- reasonably protected from being taken over and managed for purposes other than the good of the community and its skiers;
- reasonably protected from regional/global economic instability;
- able to partner with governments, community organizations and businesses;
- locally-rooted, but global in reach;
- values based, showing leadership in social and environmental responsibility;
- not too big to retain the local spirit, but not too small to meet the needs listed here; and
- affordable for users.

Where are the Friends of Shames going?
The outcome of the FoS work will be a well researched plan to keep Shames Mountain operating in a way that ensures its long-term viability with a commitment to the communities that support it.

Where are the Friends of Shames at?
So far the FoS has accomplished the following:
- gathered and shared information with the communities of Terrace, Kitimat, and Prince Rupert
- hosted Town Hall meetings in both Terrace and Prince Rupert to hear from the communities and share what the FoS is doing
- set up a website, facebook page, and contact email address to share information
- researched other ski hills, societies, charities, and co-operatives with similarities to Shames
- connected with the current ownership of Shames Mountain to ensure alignment of intent
- extensively reviewed business model options including Non-Profit (Society), Co-operative, and Charity business structures
- consulted with lawyers and consultants who specialize in non-profit and alternative business structures
- determined the "Community Service Co-operative" model as the best legal structure from which to build a business plan
- commenced the business planning process

More about the Friends of Shames:
email: info@friendsofshames.com
website: www.friendsofshames.com

Thanks mags, have a great weekend!

PS - the website is still under construction but will be up and running very soon, thanks for the patience.
PPS - got a facebook site going too

[toast]

the Friends of Shames (FoS) is confident that due diligence has been done and that the Community Service Co-operative is the legal structure to move forward with.

why do you hate the global skier?

[wetcoaster]

why do you hate the global skier?

We don't hate the global skier, mang. We just hate you.

Congrats Gary, good job.