$20 Million investments at Mont-Orford

Montagne
Montagne

It is with great enthusiasm that the Corporation Ski & Golf Mont-Orford announces a major investment of $20 million in the ski resort, in the development of summer activities, in its infrastructure and in its sustainable and environmental development.

This is the largest investment plan to date for the Corporation!

This investment is subdivided into two complementary phases requiring an investment of $10 million, each financed 50% by the Corporation itself and the other half by the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of Quebec as part of the Programme d'aide à la relance de l'industrie touristique (PARIT I and II), for financial assistance totaling $10 million granted as part of this program.

Having to respect the very specific criteria of this program (PARIT), here are the projects which are either in progress, executed or to come at Mont-Orford:

  • Improvement of customer areas, expansion and repositioning of service areas particularly to develop the events component and business tourism in the mountain
  • Modernization and improvement of the snowmaking system
  • Development of the Enduro mountain biking resort
  • Automation of various technological processes
  • Environmental signature and sustainable practices
  • Diversification of summer activities
  1. Slalom Pub 2
  2. Slalom Pub
  3. Cafe Virage
  4. Cafe Virage 2
  5. Salle Orford
  6. Alfred Desrochers
  7. Vestiaire
  8. Terrasse

EXPANSION AND REPOSITIONING OF SERVICE AREAS

MODIFICATION OF CUSTOMER AREAS

A first phase of renovation took place during the expansion of the services center in 2020 in order to bring together customer service, the snow school and equipment rental in the same place.

Between now and the 2025-26 ski season, we want to renovate and improve the customer areas of the old chalet which has several floors and many stages of construction! The objective is that these changes can have an impact on the customer experience during the ski season, but also for the 4-season development of the mountain and improve the corporate aspect of room rental.

The main lines of the upcoming project

This project is very large-scale and includes, among other things, the change of furniture, windows, lighting, flooring, etc. Here is the detail of what will also be carried out:

  • Modernization of the current Giroux room to provide a bistro-style café connected to the cafeteria thanks to the addition of a glass space on the current terrace on this level. This section will also accommodate corporate groups, weddings or private events.
  • Expansion of the current section of Café le Virage to make it a new dressing and break area with lockers.
  • Upgrading the bathrooms located under the Slalom Pub.
  • Modernization of the current Orford room to increase the number of seats and storage, while ensuring that this room can accommodate corporate groups, weddings or private events. Renovation of the service counter in this room.
  • Improvement works of the Slalom Pub by, among other things, changing the oil heating and adding air conditioning for summer use. Addition of integrated audiovisual elements to also make it a multifunctional and event room.
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IMPROVEMENT OF THE SNOW MAKING SYSTEM

Snowmaking is crucial in ski resorts and major investments have been made in recent years with the aim of increasing snowmaking capacity, achieving more energy-efficient practices, reducing travel and handling of snow employees in the mountains, and of course to ensure high-level snow quality.

A new pump at the pumping station and the purchase of numerous fixed snow cannons have been carried out, and in a next phase we will proceed with the modification of certain compressors and infrastructure, allowing more significant snow to be made when temperatures are warmer.

  1. Mont Orford MTB 190619 34 BR
  2. Mont Orford MTB 190619 1 BR

DEVELOPMENT OF MOUNTAIN BIKING

The objective is to form a network of approximately 15 km of Enduro-type mountain bike trails mainly located on the Alfred-Desrochers slope (without ski lift). We also want to create an extension to what Sépaq already offers in order to join the two networks to obtain an improved and joint experience.

The characterization of the land will be carried out in the summer of 2024 so that the project can then go to tender for the construction of the trails. The objective is to make this project a reality by the summer of 2026.

  1. Capture 2 RFID

AUTOMATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Whether in the ski season or in the event season, visitors can now experience RFID technology when using the ski lifts or accessing the site for events. The time of the paper ticket is now over in order to obtain a rechargeable and durable solution, to be able to reduce labor requirements in critical times and to collect a better portrait of our customers thanks to numerous statistics.

Other technological processes will be deployed, mainly linked to the operation of the ski resort. We can think, among other things, of the automation of ski lift piers.

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ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNATURE AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

We are looking to carry out field studies in order to develop a runoff management plan and a maintenance plan for our trail base. The latter will also reduce the amount of snow needed on the slopes to cover the vegetation.

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Also, following up on the swing sculpture installed at the top of the Pente Douce a few seasons ago, we want to revitalize the soil of this ski slope to plant native plants that will attract pollinating insects and Monarchs. This land art installation will be accompanied by an educational circuit on the protection of the environment and the biodiversity of our region.

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DIVERSIFICATION OF SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Aside from the development of mountain biking, which represents a very interesting summer activity for the mountains, other summer activities will be put in place to provide access to nature to a wide audience, particularly to customers with reduced mobility.