Banff, Alberta - A new chairlift built to shuttle Olympic and Paralympic spectators will be moved to Sunshine Village after the 2010 Games, improving the Rocky Mountain experience for beginner skiers and boarders.

The Doppelmayr quad lift - part of more than $60 million in upgrades undertaken in recent years at Alberta's favourite ski and snowboard resort - will replace the aging Strawberry chair.

"Sunshine Village, through this innovative agreement, is supporting the short-term needs of Olympic organizers while significantly improving the long-term visitor experience at Sunshine Village," said Sunshine Village president and CEO Ralph Scurfield. "We have decreased organizing committee capital costs and have built an Olympic legacy that will be truly enjoyed for years and years to come.

"Sunshine Village is noted for its progressive environmental practices," said Mr. Scurfield. "The purchase, and reuse, of this lift represents yet another positive step.

"Instead of building a new lift from scratch, we will greatly reduce the environmental footprint by moving the lift and reinstalling it."

Sunshine received Parks Canada approval on Jan. 7, 2010, based on a recommendation from the Advisory Development Board.

The lift - known as the Timing Flats lift at the Whistler Blackcomb resort - was installed for the 2010 Games, but will be redundant once the games have concluded. It is being used to shuttle spectators, officials and athletes to the stadium and finish area for a number of events and to move spectators with special accessibility needs to view events in the Creekside area.

"It is important to note that the people of the Bow Valley will have a lasting memory of the 2010 Games right here in their own community," said Mr. Scurfield. "This lift uses the latest technology to achieve the greatest possible efficiency, and we are committed to using environmental best practices during installation."

The Advisory Development Board is a volunteer board of public members appointed by Parks Canada to act in an advisory role to the Superintendent. The board assesses appropriateness and acceptability within a broad management, planning and development context.

"We thank Parks Canada and the development board for their support of an exceptional project in which everyone emerged as winners," said Mr. Scurfield.

Federal Ski Area Guidelines allow "like-for-like" replacements in snow resorts, subject to development review and approval processes. The new lift follows the path of the Strawberry lift, but is slightly longer. This allows for construction of the upper station, starting in April - before the end of the ski season. This will allow construction over snow pack, minimizing impact on vegetation.

The new lift has a rated capacity of 1,800 guests per hour, using a total of 45 chairs. The Strawberry lift has a design capacity of 2,100 riders per hour, but has been running at a rate of 1,520.

The 35-year-old, three-passenger Strawberry lift has reached the end of its service life. The company that made it, Hall Ski Lift Co., is no longer in business, creating maintenance challenges.

The 81-year-old Sunshine Village snow resort is situated in the heart of Banff National Park, Canada's oldest national park.

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