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91ƵDon91Ƶt wear your mask, we91Ƶll pull your pass91Ƶ; Big White reflects on new health guidelines

91ƵThis is as serious as skiing out of bounds, if not more so,91Ƶ says Big White Ski Resort official
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Big White Ski Resort91Ƶs village centre, Saturday afternoon. (Big White Ski Resort)

Don91Ƶt wear a mask? They91Ƶll take away your pass; Big White Ski Resort officials have been taking new health orders seriously.

Just Saturday morning (Nov. 21), they revoked three ski passes from individuals who refused to wear masks at the resort.

Days before, opening day Thursday (Nov. 19) coincided with the day the province announced new province-wide health guidelines requiring the use of masks.

READ MORE: Masks now mandatory in all public indoor and retail spaces in B.C.

Those who refuse to wear them are having their resort passes suspended for at least a week to start. If there91Ƶs a second occurrence, their passes are being pulled for a month, and so on.

91ƵIt91Ƶs just like when you break the alpine responsibility code, you ski out of bounds91Ƶ everyone is trying to keep everybody else safe, and this is as serious as skiing out of bounds, if not more so,91Ƶ said Michael Ballingall, senior vice president of Big White Ski Resort.

However Ballingall said he91Ƶs encouraged by the large majority of people who are following the rules. By mid-day Saturday, the resort had given out just seven masks to those who didn91Ƶt have them.

91Ƶ(We had a) good response, I would say about 95 per cent of people complied with wearing your mask in line. We had a few anti-maskers. It91Ƶs pretty simple, if they don91Ƶt wear their mask, we pull their pass,91Ƶ he said.

91ƵOnce we told them they lose their skiing privileges, the argument stopped pretty quick.91Ƶ

READ MORE: New vintage-style restaurant coming to Big White Ski Resort

For several hours each morning since opening, Ballingall has visited every ski lift and, using a megaphone, reminded people of the rules; keep your mask on and stay six feet apart.

91ƵI91Ƶm happy that people are showing their frustration on Facebook and Instagram, and not in the lineup,91Ƶ he said.

And many were around to hear him, as well. The senior vice president couldn91Ƶt recall a busier opening day. Parking lots filled up quickly, some in less than 20 minutes. This energy, he said, continued into the weekend as well.

91ƵThe parking lots were as full as they are at Christmas time,91Ƶ said Ballingall.

New regulations put in place across the province have affected many things, including how places like Big White Ski Resort operate. Ballingall explained he and his staff are focused on keeping everyone safe.

New rules include stricter indoor capacities, and outdoor lineups only, to pick up passes. He said keeping your distance and wearing your mask while skiing or snowboarding is the easy part; it91Ƶs going to the washroom, and other things that require indoor facilities that91Ƶs requiring the most work.

As a result, Big White is erecting two more outdoor washroom facilities, to add to their one already in place. They have also been encouraging patrons to use their vehicle as their locker, and their tailgates as their lunch stations.

91ƵThis is brand new for everybody, nobody91Ƶs been through this,91Ƶ Ballingall explained.

Going forward, he91Ƶs feeling positive.

91ƵThe good people, the 99.9 per cent of people complying, are frustrated with the ones that aren91Ƶt, because they could ruin it for everybody,91Ƶ said Ballingall. 91ƵOur pass holders are doing a great job of policing each other.91Ƶ

Conditions at the resort are good. By Saturday afternoon temperatures had dropped to -7C, with scattered clouds, and a 116 cm alpine snow base.

READ MORE: West Kelowna winery temporarily closes after guest tests positive for COVID-19

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com


 


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Phil McLachlan

About the Author: Phil McLachlan

Phil McLachlan is the editor at the Penticton Western News. He served as the reporter, and eventually editor of The Free Press newspaper in Fernie.
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