At 35 years old, the existing day lodge is nearing the end of its useful life. It’s too small for SLNC’s current needs, lacks accessibility for people with mobility challenges, and does not meet current building standards in several ways. Also, renting ski and snowshoe gear was not envisioned when the lodge was built, so the space is cramped and it’s tricky for people with their rental equipment to get in and out.

The current Lodge Committee reviewed work completed by previous committees over the past 10 years and built on that information by consulting with SLNC members, visitors, program participants, staff, and coaches. From this, the committee was able to determine the space and functionality needs for all users of the lodge. Then, with the help of an SLNC member and retired architect, the functional design was turned into preliminary hand drawings (floor plans) of the renovated/expanded lodge. Those sketches were then provided to the architecture firm that developed the current schematic drawings.

BC Parks is granting SLNC a 20-year extension of our Park Use Permit, up from the usual five years. SLNC will be running the Nordic Centre, including the day lodge, trails, and cabins, until at least 2044.

Our partners at BC Parks have generously committed $1.4 million to the project. With this solid start, and as our donations grow, the Lodge Committee continues to look for other government funding opportunities like gaming money and special grants.

One of the main goals of the Lodge Legacy Project is to minimize the environmental footprint of lodge operations, including saving energy and minimizing carbon emissions. Renewable energy sources will be considered where possible.

The additional floor space and washrooms will make it possible for school groups (during the week) and kids’ programs (weekends & evenings) to get ready for their adventures in the main lodge rather than in the old cabin. There will also be room for a small play area for younger children and more washrooms with change tables.

Yes. Nordiq Canada is accepting donations on our behalf (as a qualified donee) and will issue a tax receipt to help you save on your income taxes.

In Canada, charitable donations receive tax credits on donations. For example, if a BC resident makes a $500 donation, one would get $178 of that back as a credit. Your personal out-of-pocket costs would be only $322.

The money will be put to work to improve the lodge, regardless of the amount raised. The current lodge needs work to enable it to continue to serve the Nordic community. Doing nothing is not an option. If we don’t achieve our full fundraising target the project will be scaled back, possibly to a smaller addition plus renovation, or just renovation.

Once you receive an official tax receipt for the Canadian Revenue Agency, charities and other qualified donees are not allowed to return the donation—but rest assured we are committed to building a day lodge our community can be proud of!

The plans for the lodge include wider doors, an elevator, and more wheelchair-access washrooms. Also, with the larger floor area, the general flow through the building should be much better.

The Lodge Committee commissioned a study by a structural engineer who concluded that the building could be added onto, subject to first completing some repairs in the crawl space. This has created the opportunity to reduce the overall cost of the project by expanding and renovating (avoiding the cost and environmental impact of demolishing the old building). However, now that the space and functional needs have been defined, the current plan could be changed to a new stand-alone building if there is a good reason to do so and the additional funds can be secured.

Although the exterior views of the proposed lodge may not have changed much, the interior configuration is very different, and it addresses the needs of users more effectively.

There are no plans to include lockers for skis in the lodge. Very few people expressed an interest in having lockers to leave their skis at Sovereign, and space for lockers would add significantly to the project cost. Similarly, there was little interest in showers; they would be expensive to build, put pressure on the groundwater well and septic field, and are expensive to clean and maintain.

BC Parks will be responsible for hiring the building contractor and managing the project. In doing so, they will assume responsibility for any cost overruns. This significantly reduces SLNC’s risks.

Sovereign Lake Nordic Club will be grateful for a gift of any amount. As a guideline, our fundraising target from SLNC passholders, visitors and friends is $650,000. With our approximately 2,200 passholders, that works out to an average commitment of about $300. Of course, some people will do more, and some will do less, but we encourage everyone in our Nordic skiing and snowshoeing community to help according to their ability. One can also help by donating their time to support the fundraising initiative (e.g. organizing a raffle, grant writing, etc.).