Blazing the Trail: Pioneers of Winter Recreation on PEI.

by Ian Scott, July 27, 2017

Over the last few years I spoke with people who had a connection to the early days of skiing on Prince Edward Island. As there has been little published on the history of winter recreation locally, this hopefully will be a chance to share a few of these stories.

James William "Bill" Profit 

Ron J. Profit who practices law in Charlottetown was raised in Summerside and recalled when his father, James William "Bill" Profit had a busy recreational woodwork shop behind the family home on Maple Ave. With few suppliers of skis locally, Bill began in the 1960's to manufacture wooden skis using a steamer box and press to shape the curved tips from steamed wood. Gradually when demand for metal edged skis arose, Bill acquired the necessary supplies to ensure his Island-built skis were metal edged as well. 

Without a commercial ski hill in PEI, adventure seeking skiers would hike up farm hills and ski down. The first ski lift appears to be the rope tow located in Clinton, PEI. The Clinton hill overlooking the Southwest River near New London had a lodge building already on it. Built for the summer hotel and restaurant trade, Allan Rankin, the son of the founder recalled, "Clinton Heights Motor Lodge was built and operated by my father, Robert H. Rankin. After retiring as a building contractor, he purchased land at Clinton and constructed the combined motor lodge, dining room, and lounge. He operated the facility for many years, together with the first downhill ski business on the Island. The dining room was well known across the Island. I worked at this tourism establishment during the summers, and rented skis there in the winter."

Clinton Heights Motor Lodge in 1970's

After the ski hill closed many people recall the restaurant and the continuing summer operation renamed the Clinton View Lodge. Eventually it changed from a tourist hotel to a community care facility and is currently known as Perrin's Clinton View Lodge.

13 of the 17-member PEI Ski Team headed to the 1971 Winter Canada Games in Saskatoon. Picture taken at Brookvale Ski Hill.

The Clinton Ski Hill operated by Robert Rankin and his family played a key role in building interest in the sport across the province at both the recreational and competitive levels. One the keenest skiers who became a leader in all aspects of the sport was Ken Judson. I enjoyed a lunch with Ken this summer and he was quick to credit all the others who helped to build the sport. He admired Mr. Rankin's vision and role in providing a location for Ken and his friends to learn the sport. As Ken had already organized a ski group in hopes of gaining group discounts, he was approached by sport organizer Charlie Ballem to get a local ski association recognized by the Canadian Ski Association in time to send a PEI team to the first Canada Games being held in Quebec City as part of Canada's Centennial celebrations in 1967. Ken Judson's efforts worked and the first nationally recognized ski organization on PEI was formalized with Team PEI trained and ready to compete in Quebec. It was a major step to have what were essentially recreational skiers compete with the best competitive skiers in Canada but as Judson recalled, "We learned a lot, in attending."

Ken knew that a bigger operation than the fun slope in Clinton was needed to develop the sport and he gathered a small group of Summerside residents who shared his interest. Besides himself they included three other men: Creelman MacArthur, Lloyd Miller, and Laurie Coles.

Ken Judson in 2017

Their first meeting led them to believe that a profitable business could be developed operating a large ski hill but by their second meeting they realized that as they all were busy with their own business interests that a non-profit approach was best so that young people and families would have access to a reasonably priced recreational activity. They determined early that it would be a full winter park, as they started their search for a suitable hill.

Having heard of some good hills in Central Queens Co., Ken decided to take a detour one day when headed to Charlottetown on a business trip. Heading inland from the Trans Canada Highway in Crapaud he soon found himself in Brookvale where he spotted a steep slope and he quickly turned onto a tiny logging road in his new Oldsmobile in hopes of exploring further. The woods road ended abruptly with nowhere to turn around, thus Judson had to back down the steep road in the rain. He continued on to Charlottetown where he was able to refer to a relief map to confirm elevations and decided to travel home the same route stopping at the nearest house to ask who owned the hilly woodlot. He obtained the name of the owner from a neighbour in Brookvale and reported back to his organizing team in Summerside.

Thus began the committee's effort to purchase the hill at Brookvale from the owner, Mrs. Rose Curley who initially had no interest in selling a part of her family's property. Mrs. Curley had a family of 13 to raise and didn't want to limit the family's options by selling a portion of their property. Ken realized her situation and was quick to point out the economic benefits for the local community, and local families seeking employment in the area. With a strong interest in seeing local employment options grow she agreed to sell the necessary land. The committee then concluded their work with a group decision by the four Summerside partners to develop the hill, and sign personal commitments for a loan of $30,000 with the provincial government providing a guarantee to the bank on the loan. The next stage in 1966 saw the clearing of the hill using logging horses and the help of Boy Scouts and other volunteers. Ken Judson and Lloyd Miller provided leadership with the daily operations getting the ski hill running with a rope tow in 1967. The hill opened on Jan 11, 1967 with the official ceremony on Jan 28^th of the same year. 

Ken Judson with Nancy Greene in 1968

While the initial plan was for the hill to be transferred to the Provincial Government the actual transfer was delayed and the Summerside group remained responsible for the operation. Eventually the bank account, loan payments and ownership was taken over by the PEI government in 1969 and Brookvale became an operational part of the provincial park system now known as Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park at Brookvale.

Ken Judson along with his family remained involved with the sport and Ken as a ski instructor and dealer for Salomon and Rossignol. He started travelling to the larger hills in New England and met with ski leaders like Canadian Olympian Nancy Greene. As a natural leader and promoter of the sport, Ken Judson played a key role in building organizations that have allowed families to enjoy skiing on PEI, and for young athletes to gain the skills necessary to compete nationally and internationally. 

Ken Judson with Nancy Greene 

Ken also recognized the early effort played by Judy (Archer) Irwin in establishing the first training programs for children at Brookvale under the Nancy Greene Ski League. While many others have carried on the ski and eventually snowboarding programs he credits Judy with the seminal role in getting things started and running things for the first five or six years. Judy initially began skiing at Brookvale and became an instructor so she could help others. She fondly recalled meeting Nancy Greene, when Nancy was on the Island.

Ken Judson and Tom Richardson both took Level II professional instructor training for adults in Nova Scotia to help out with adult programming. The training program for youth and adults developed over time with Nancy Greene lending her celebrity endorsement as well as an ongoing expertise and support for youth skiing across Canada. The ski school under Judy (Archer) Irwin gave skiers a solid start with safely as a key component instilled early. Many students who started as children in the program joined ski teams and saw their skills progress to the Canada Games level.

Another site which played an early role was Stratgartney Provincial Park which was the first park in 1958 within a growing provincial park system. A gift of Robert Lawson Cotton (1881-1968), the park was under the direction of Wendell Profitt (1922-2017), who was able to secure a motor for a movable rope tow which was installed on the hill during the 1960’s. 

Wendell Profitt
the first director of the PEI Provincial Parks,
at Strathgartney which was the first park in the system.
Photo - 2011 by Judy K. Profitt

As a forest engineer, Wendell had started the Provincial Forestry Nursery along with J. Frank Gaudet. It was with Wendell's appointment as the first director of provincial parks in 1958 that he was able to develop a network of parks and campgrounds across the Island and is referred to as the Pioneer of Provincial Parks. I recall standing on the top of the hill at Stratgartney in October 2011 with Wendell, enjoying its sweeping view as he outlined for me the area where the ski operation was based. Wendell's daughter Judy Profitt captures her father's legacy well at that time on Facebook:

"The Pioneer of PEI Provincial Parks - my Dad, Wendell Profitt....enjoying a trip down memory lane today at Strathgartney Park. Under his Directorship, work commenced at this site in January of 1958 with the park, PEI's FIRST Prov. Park, opening that July. This much-loved park developed over time and is still a very popular place for nature lovers, biologists, photographers, trail walkers, historians, picnickers, and so forth. Please join the growing movement to "Save Strathgartney Park!" from destruction as Government plans to decimate the park with a major TransCanada Highway construction project!"

In 2011 concern was mounting for Strathgartney as a major highway was planned to run through the middle of the park. Luckily the combined efforts of Wendell and others mobilized support to “Save Stratgartney” and government re-routed the highway around the park, eventually expanding parkland in the area and creating a four-season trail system that covers 25 kilometres in nearby Bonshaw Provincial Park.

Wendell Profitt at centre with Maria Profit, Andrew Scott, and Kinley Scott
(in carrier) on a hike at Strathgartney.  Wendell at at age 90 and Kinley at 3 weeks
were the oldest and youngest people on the hike and are also distant cousins.

Photo- 2011 by Judy K. Profitt 

This article covers several individuals who each played a significant role in the early development of winter recreational facilities on PEI and whose vision and quick action paved the way for the excellent facilities we now take for granted. It is meant as a companion article to two other articles which were issued by the Provincial Park system and which were copied intact from their original source to be hosted on this blog.

• Celebrating 50 years of fun in the snow! - History of Brookvale
• Brookvale Provincial Ski Park - 50 years of history!

Any corrections or additions are welcome.

Celebrating 50 years of fun in the snow! - History of Brookvale

This press release was posted on the Prince Edward Island government website on Jan 26, 2017. It provides an excellent list of key dates in the development of the Bookvale Provincial Park, located in Brookvale, PEI.

Erin Curley considers Brookvale Winter Activity Park home – and not just because she’s skied there since she was three years old.

What is now Brookvale sits on land that was once owned by the Curley family. Erin says her grandmother Rose Curley always wanted her community to thrive. So in 1966, Mrs. Curley sold the land to Ken Judson, Lloyd Miller, Laurie Coles, and Creelman MacArthur, who had a loan guarantee from the province and an understanding that government would eventually assume ownership.

“My grandmother believed so much in helping her community that, even though it broke her heart,” Erin said, “she gave up her family farm so the ski park could grow.”

It’s in her blood

Erin says the ski park, its staff and customers are like her family.

“My mother died young, and my father was a massive influence on my life,” says the 37 year old. “My dad, Vernon Curley, dedicated his life to two things: his daughters and Brookvale Ski Park.”

She spent many years sitting next to her father while he groomed the hills. She volunteered at Brookvale until she was old enough to apply for a job and then started working at the Nordic site when she was 21.

At 27 – encouraged by her father -- she applied for a job as the ski school coordinator. Today, Erin Curley is the coordinator of the Brown's Volkswagen Snow School, helping 400 skiers and snowboarders learn or fine-tune their skills every year.

“From my grandmother's sacrifice to my dad's dedication, I am who I am today because of them – and I work every day to make Brookvale better than it was the day before,” Curley says. “Skiing and snowboarding change people's lives; I've seen it a million times over the years and I'm just grateful to be a part of it.”
What’s planned for the 50th anniversary?

Saturday, January 28, 2017, staff, officials and outdoor enthusiasts will mark the day 50 years ago when Premier Alex Campbell opened the province’s only ski park to the public (that was on January 28, 1967).

There will be indoor and outdoor activities for everyone. The hill will be open regular hours from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. At 2:30 the official ceremonies will get underway honouring some of the park’s founders and long-term dedicated employees.

History

1966 – Trails were cut, a double rope tow was installed and a bunny hill was provided for beginners.  Two army huts were set up to provide a lodge, ski shop and restaurant.

January 11, 1967 – Brookvale opened for alpine skiing. Allan Holman, of Holman’s Department store, opened a ski rental shop on the premises.

January 28, 1967 – The hill was officially opened by Premier Alex Campbell.

1968 – The Nancy Greene ski school was started under the leadership of Tom and Pat Richardson.

1969 – The provincial government assumed operation the ski park.  The intermediate run, a toboggan area and a T-Bar were added.

Brookvale Ski Park

1970 – Due to lack of snow the hill opened for only two weeks, February 23 to March 7.  This was the shortest ski season for Brookvale.

1973 – The trail system was expanded.  A new professional snow groomer, a Bombardier, was purchased.

1974 – A new, updated ski rental facility owned and operated by the provincial government opened.  The first groomed, cross country trails were added.  These trails were on private land, courtesy of the owners.

1978 – CBC and the PEI Ski Association co-sponsored a ski day at Brookvale which attracted over 6000 alpine and cross country skiers, along with many snowmobilers.

1986 – The first snow making machine was tested on one trail at Brookvale.

1989-90 – A new base lodge was built and a 15 metre extension was added to increase the height of the hill.

1992 – A quad chair was installed to more efficiently and comfortably transport skiers to the newly renovated trail system.

2007-2008 - A new maintenance shop was completed. The PEI Ski and Snowboard School was purchased and taken over the provincial government.

2009-2010 – The T-Bar was removed. A new nordic ‎snowmobile and tow behind grooming system was added.‎

2015-2016 – Upgrades to the snowmaking equipment included a new 150 hp water pump, two new portable stick snow guns and an additional portable stick gun.


Blazing the Trail: Pioneers of Winter Recreation on PEI, fills in additional details and is located on this blog as well.   

Brookvale Provincial Ski Park - 50 years of history!

This history was originally drafted by Jeannie Lea an active volunteer involved with ski organizations on PEI. It was issued as a background document by the Provincial Government of PEI during the period that Jeannie served in the cabinet of Premier Catherine Callbeck (1993 to 1996). In 2017 Erin Curley, Brown's Volkswagen Snowschool Coordinator with Tourism PEI, updated this to cover the entire 50 year period. Sincere appreciation to both Jeannie and Erin in allowing us to share this document and for their efforts to record ski history on PEI.

50 years of history!

The mid sixties on P.E.I. saw several attempts made to develop ski operations.  These hills developed the interest for the sport of Alpine skiing among several Summerside families.

It was learned by these enthusiasts that the first Canada Winter Games were to be held during our Centennial year 1967 at Quebec City in February and that Alpine ski racing would be included.  Prince Edward Island would be eligible to send seventeen skiers if there was a ski club registered with the Canadian Alpine Ski Association.

The interest was there and a club was formed in the winter of 1966.  The next requirement was a steeper and longer hill.

Summerside’s Ken Judson, one of the original skiers, recall’s “Many Saturdays and Sundays were spent with Lloyd Miller driving through the country, carrying our skis, walking up and skiing down hills, looking for the right one”.

After hearing about the hills in the Kelly’s Cross area, one of Ken’s trips to Charlottetown in October ’66 on a muddy, clay road, landed him at the bottom of the best hill he’d seen on the Island.  “There it was!”  It was steep, it faced North, it wasn’t as long as I had hoped, but it had potential”. 

A small company was formed by four individuals interested in developing the hill and to further develop the sport.  It included Ken Judson, Lloyd Miller, Laurie Coles and Creelman MacArthur – all from Summerside.

The group approached the Premier of the day, Alex Campbell, to try and convince him that the Province needed a winter ski park.  They met with success and the Province guaranteed a bank loan in their names with the understanding that the province would eventually take it over.

The four partners divided up the work and with the help of many volunteers the hill was developed. The land was purchased from the Curley family.  Cross country trails were also cut at this time with the help of the Boy Scouts.  Two army huts were acquired and turned into a club house, ski shop and restaurant.

By Christmas of 1966 the park was ready to go, however, a problem – no snow!  Finally, with the help of Mother Nature, snow arrived and the hill (or mini mountain as it was called) was officially opened by Premier Alex Campbell on January 28, 1967.

That first season a ski racing program was started.  As reported in the Guardian “thirty-one competitors turned out at the park to ski in the first giant slalom to be held in the history of PEI”.  From this auspicious event a team was selected.  In February 1967 the team was sent to compete at the Winter games in Quebec City.  It was reported that the racers were petrified when they saw Mount Ste Anne.  The Winnipeg Free Press quoted the Manitoba coach as saying “He thought that he saw members of the PEI ski team faint at the site of the mountain”.

Alan Holman opened a ski shop providing ski equipment rentals which advertised “Everything you need to enjoy skiing is waiting for you in Holmans Ski Shop, Brookvale, Mini Mountain”.

In 1968 a Nancy Greene Ski School was started.  Nancy Greene herself visited the hill several times to help set up the program.  Qualified instructors included Ken Judson, Don Bartlett, Tom and Pat Richardson.

Betty Blake, who was involved for fourteen years with the ski school, recalls the Richardsons as the driving force behind the ski school.  Over 80 children were involved in the early days.  Unit three school buses were used to transport those from the Charlottetown area to the hill.  “It was a wonderful experience being involved over the years.  A common bond seems to form between skiers of all ages.  Many Island children learned how to ski because of the program.  The people working at Brookvale were all very co-operative”.  In 1992 the ski school grew to over 250 students enrolled.

In 1971 at the winter games held in Saskatoon the P.E.I. Alpine ski team placed 7^th out of twelve teams, beating Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Yukon and Northwest Territories. It was especially gratifying to beat team Manitoba. This was a remarkable achievement given the early stages in the development of the sport on the Island and the size of our only training hill at Brookvale. This training hill was only long enough for 10 race gates most standard race courses are 60 gates. Racers who placed well included Brett Judson, Mike Read and Rick Zuliani.

At this time Senator Lorne Bonnell was the minister for parks in those early days. The late Brigadier W.W. Reid was the Deputy Minister. The Provincial Government did not take the facility over in the second season so again the original four ran the hill.

In 1968 the Provincial Government took over the facility and still maintains it to this day. At this time there was a double rope tow. The Government then installed a t-bar, developed the intermediate hill and tobogganing area. An unsuccessful attempt was made to have a skating rink at the park.

Frank Curley, who has worked at the Ski Park over the years, recalls the shortest ski season occurred when the hill was only able to open for a very short time from February 23 – March 7^th in 1970. He also remembers that in 1973 the first sophisticated, New Bombardier snow groomer was purchased.

In 1974 a new updated rental shop was opened by the Government. The inventory included approximately 100 pairs of cross country skis and about 50 pairs of alpine skis. The first “groomed” cross country ski trails were added using private land, with the permission from the land owners.

On a special “CBC Day” in 1978 it was estimated that over 6000 people used the park facilities.

In 1986 the first snowmaking equipment on P.E.I was purchased for Brookvale Ski Park. The ability to make snow would greatly help keep the facility operating despite the weather conditions and uncertain snow falls.

A new lodge was built in 1990 for the upcoming season of 1991. Also, an extension of 50 feet was added to the top of the ski hill. In February of 1991 saw P.E.I. hosting the Canada Winter Games. Unfortunately due to the size of our ski hill we were not able to hold the alpine ski section of the games.

In the fall of 1991 big changes took place with the replacement of the old system by a quad chair lift and new T-bar. Also, many of the runs were reshaped and greatly improved. Brookvale has almost tripled in size going from 13 acres of ski able terrain to the 35 acres it is today.

Twenty five years ago on January 28^th 1967, Premier Alex Campbell opened the facility and was pictured in the guardian skiing through a ribbon with Elizabeth Miller, a young skier. In 1992, the modern facility featured a quad chair lift, new t-bar,50 foot extension to the hill, modern lodge and many miles of top cross country ski trails. Minister of Tourism and Parks, Hon Gordon MacInnis officially opened this updated park on its 25^th anniversary.

In 1999 the tubing hill was built and lift installed on the west side of the property on the old McManus property. The last year for the tubing hill lift was 2006.

In 2007-2008 The new maintenance shop was finished. The PEI Ski and Snowboard School was purchased and taken over by the government. In 2009 the T-Bar was removed, a new Nordic Snowmobile and tow behind grooming system was purchased to keep the cross country trails in great condition. In 2015-2016 big upgrades came to the snow making at the hill, upgrades included a new 150 horse power water pump and 3 new portable stick snow guns.

Blazing the Trail: Pioneers of Winter Recreation on PEI, fills in additional details and is located on this blog as well.