Conservation authority may drop request for ski proposals

The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority may decide to scrap its contoversial request for proposals to manage its ski trails.

Over strong objections from Chairman Ernie Gulyas, the conservation authority's board decided last night to seek legal advice before proceeding with the controvesial request, which opponents argue will break up the local Nordic trail system.

The board agreed to seek a legal opinion before awarding a contract to manage its ski trails and to possibly not award it at all.

A meeting with all stakeholders is also to be also convened before any decision is reached.

Gulyas did not want to see the authority's request for proposals to manage its Nordic ski trails changed in any way.

"I don't want to be spending all my life's savings defending myself," he said. "This would leave us in a very vulnerable position."

Mayor John Rowswell, also a member of the conservation authority board, said there were a few key items that probably should have been included in the request for proposals when it was written and issued in June.

Rowswell said it should have included a request for applicants to outline their experience in managing ski trails and it ought to have indicated that preference would be given to applicants who would seek to keep all 36 kilometres of trail operating as one system.

"Well that would be 20/20 hindsight, wouldn't it?" said Gulyas. "We have what we have and it cannot be changed."

Rowswell suggested that the board see whether it's legally possible to scrap the request for proposal as issued and start over with a new one that's more effective.

Ward 4 Councilor Neil DelBianco, also a member of the Conservation Authority Board, agreed with Rowswell saying that sometimes it's better for a board to take a legal risk than to do something that's not best for the greater good of the community.

Both Rowswell and Gulyas said they thought the proposal from the Sault Finnish Nordic Ski Club was still incomplete.

It was argued that clarification was needed about fees to be paid by the club to the authority.

"In my opinion, this submission would have been thrown out in any other circumstances because it is incomplete," said Rowswell.

DelBianco will be chairing a stakeholders' meeting that City Council directed be organized as quickly as possible.

The Sault Finnish Nordic Ski Club, Heyden Adventure Base Camp, Kinsmen Club and anyone else interested in cross-country skiing in the Sault will be invited, he said.

DelBianco said it will be an opportunity for discussion and even if the request for proposals doesn't change as a result, it's a process that needs to be undertaken.

DelBianco will be away for a week and said he hopes to have the meeting in about two week's time.

Mayor Rowswell said he'll make every effort to also have the requested legal advice from the City by that time.

There was a brief session near the conclusion of last night's meeting in which members of the board asked people in attendance some questions about their experience with the ski trails.

Present were three former members of Sault Trails and Recreation (STAR) as well as Brian Anstice and Danielle Greenwood, operators of Heyden Adventure Base Camp.

The Heyden camp is one of two organizations with proposals to run the ski trails before the Conservation Authority.

Danielle Greenwood is the daughter of Deane Greenwood, trails coordinator for the Conservation Authority.

Deane Greenwood was not in attendance at the meeting Linda Whalen, the authority's general manager, declared at the outset that Greenwood had removed himself from all involvement in the decision-making process immediately upon learning that Heyden Adventure Base Camp was a bidder.

The conservation authority also released the following statement:

********************* SSMRCA strong supporter for continuation of cross country skiing

Sault Ste. Marie - the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority (SSMRCA) has for years been a strong supporter of cross country skiing in the Hiawatha Highlands Conservation Area and surrounding properties.

In early spring of 2006, the Kinsmen Club of Sault Ste. Marie withdrew from Sault Trails and Recreation (STAR), triggering the dissolution of the partnership according to its letters patent. The SSMRCA continues to be interested in ensuring the continuation of community cross country skiing.

STAR was established in the late 80's in partnership with the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Kinsmen Club of Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Finnish Nordic Ski Club and the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority (SSMRCA). The object was to create an umbrella organization to provide cross country skiing for the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie and area.

As a result of STAR's dissolution, a request for proposals from the former partners of STAR was initiated. The SSMRCA willingly submitted a proposal to the STAR Board to ensure that cross country skiing would continue in Sault Ste. Marie on the established 36 kilometer trail system. STAR awarded the request for proposal to the Sault Finnish Nordic Ski Club.

Any arrangements and/or agreements between the Kinsmen Club and the Sault Finnish Nordic Ski Club were not made available to the SSMRCA and that led to the uncertainty surrounding cross country skiing continuing in the community.

In an effort then to ensure that a community cross country skiing program would continue in the Hiawahta Highlands Conservation Area the SSMRCA Board carefully considered, unanimously approved and advertised a request for proposal. This was the only way to ensure a fair, open and transparent public process for the use of Conservation Authority trails.

The SSMRCA request for proposals does not exclude the successful candidate from seeking permission to use other properties, nor does it preclude them from entering into agreements with other organizations and/or property owners. The request for proposals pertained only to land which is owned by the SSMRCA because the Board can not speak on behalf of the remaining property owners.

City Council's comments from Monday night's Council meeting will be taken into consideration by the Conservation Authority Board.

As one of the many landowners which contribute to the 36 kilometer cross country trail system, there is no question that the SSMRCA has taken a keen interest and wants cross country skiing in this community to continue.

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