Rossland’s Red Mountain Racers expect to begin construction this year on a new clubhouse and timing shack, thanks in large part to a $700,000 provincial grant announced this month.
“One of the great things about building this clubhouse and timing facility is it will allow Red Mountain Racers to host high quality provincial and national races as we have done quite handily in the past,” says Linda Schulze, who handles media relations for the club.
“This clubhouse will serve as one of the locales for events to be held at the 2026 BC Winter Games. So it’s going to benefit not just Red Mountain Racers but the community. It will be a four-season facility and allow us to host all kinds of events.”
Schulze says a new clubhouse has been a dream for “quite a few years.” They used to have one of sorts, but since the new lodge was built by Red Mountain Resort, they have not had a formal place where racers can gather.
“We have talked about how we can afford and build a clubhouse that the racers can call their own and where they can congregate and manage their gear,” she says, adding that COVID has made the need particularly acute. “Then we’re all out of the lodge and we’re visible and co-ordinated and organized.”
Schultze says a spot has been picked and the drawings are done, although they will continue to raise funds to offset the overall construction cost. A group of professionals within the club will work out the budget details and figure out when the work will begin.
She says the new building will fit the overall look and feel of what already exists at Red’s base.
In addition to the clubhouse, some of the provincial funds are earmarked for improved lighting on the T-bar line and some for additional snowmaking on the ski cross course.
The grant was one of four announced for local recreation or tourism-related projects. The Kootenay Adaptive Sport Association will receive $500,000 to make its excursion loop trail more accessible; the North Slocan Trails Society will get $65,000 for the New Denver all-wheels park and the City of Rossland will get $100,000 for a downtown public washroom.