Support for the community, or from it?

Good question alba. I think it's a bit of both. There are lots of businesses that run successfully in Fernie and area that are not supported by the City or Chamber. In the end a business like the Sue has to offer what people want. The building was always full when it was the Central so it can't be location. I have found the Sue's advertising to be badly lacking ie) I can't find them on google anywhere. It must be that people aren't interested in the music and/or atmosphere.

The shuttle is a bit different. I see it as a service offered to the community. It is my understanding that the original idea of the evening shuttle was to allow guests who are staying at the hill to access restaurants and bars in town. I thought that those businesses paid a fee to help the shuttle run and in return got a stop near their establishment. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It would be great if there were enough people taking the shuttle to make it a viable business but I guess there isn't. Getting people to use public transport is always a challenge and cutting back on service never helps.

The problem this year could be related to both the lack of snow and the economic down turn resulting in people spending less on holidays. We all know skiing isn't cheap and going to the hill was one of the first things to get cut from my household budget. When I go out to spend my money I want to go somewhere with good value and guaranteed quality. Some establishments in town offer them to me so that's where I go, not to a place I don't really enjoy.

The day shuttle stops along 6th ave, stopping at Park Place, Raging Elk, Best western and more. It is impossible to stop at EVERY hotel and business. I live in the annex and happily get off the shuttle on 6th ave and walk the couple blocks accross the highway to my house.

Last year, the shuttle brought more than 25,000 tourists into town on the evening shuttle to support community businesses. These tourists come to our town to ski, mostly without a vehicle, and NEED transportation to/from the ski hill for groceries, entertainment, etc. If each person spent $10 (at minimum, I would anticipate a lot more was actually spent), I think you can do the math as to how much money was put into the community from this shuttle service.

And "pitiful amount of information available" is a load of crap. There is a bus route schedule directly on the FAR "skifernie.com" website (under 'getting here'), the schedule has also been in the Fernie Free Press numerous times. Most businesses and nearly every hotel in Fernie also have copies of the bus route/schedule available to their patrons.

This business cannot be run solely on the profit from $3 tickets, it NEEDS the assistance of our community businesses to ensure that it continues to bring valued tourists into town to support our local economy, especially in today's global situation.

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Say NO to Flathead Park!

Thanks Snowydreads. The evening shuttle was started through co-operation between city businesses and mountain accommodators for mutual gain and a necessary service for our visitors. It started off free, with financial support from the community. Last year there was less money and it became the loonie shuttle.

This year the new operator has had to go it alone without any financial or chamber support. Unfortunately circumstances are not great right now, but this is typically a quieter month and February and March may bring better fortunes. However, it is up to a business to do their due diligence before starting a new business, (charging for a previously free service is bound to have a huge impact) and you can't blame the community if it's not working out. If local businesses want the service, they will have to pay for it. If they aren't willing to pay for it (and it seems they are not) they will have to do without - there's no point blaming each other. It would be a huge shame to lose it though.

CS86, I'm glad you are happy to battle the highway traffic to cross into/from the annex - perhaps it's not to be encouraged though? As there are no crossings between 13th & 7th I don't think that's really a safe option. The evening shuttle runs along 7th - why can't the day shuttle do the same and stop somewhere along there?

If the evening shuttle brought 25'000 people into town last year (that's an average of 198 people per evening over an 18 week season - hmmm, really?) then where are they all? Is it the community's fault they are not riding the shuttle? Or maybe they can't find out how to get on the bus?

Regarding the pitiful amount of information - the schedule is not listed in the:
Fernie Winter Fix
Fernie Monthly Fix
Fernie Guide
This website - www.ourfernie.com
wwww.fernie.com
Or the chamber of commerce website.

These are all places that our visitors might look for the information...I realise the schedule might not have been prepared in time for the winter seasonal publications, but it's not in the Monthly Fix either and it's not on either of the community websites - an easy thing to organise. How many visitors buy the Free Press? And if ran a service and missed the winter guides? I'd paper the town with schedules. Where are the posters?

As for hotels, I work in one. I called the shuttle operator and left two messages. No response. 3rd call, I got through and requested a copy of the schedule. Two weeks later - still no schedule, and I wasn't told it was available on the FAR website - is it up to us to go hunting around for it?

This is not about a "bail out" from the community, when everyone is watching their pennies. This is the time to start bending over backwards to keep your customers happy, and I simply don't see that happening. Between my two hospitality jobs, bookings and inquiries for this season are as good as either of the past two years. The people are here, we just have to keep them happy.

Regarding the shuttle.. where is the DMO in all of this?

Surely, the DMO should be funding or at least contributing to the funding of a shuttle. A long term marketing stategy should include the funding of services, such as the shuttle, for the visitors that come to Fernie.

The flaw in the shuttle initiative came from those businesses who benefited but did not contribute. Those that did fund the shuttle got tired of paying for the leeches, and stopped giving. Some thought why should I pay if it is coming anyway. A little short sighted I think. The free shuttle brought a lot of business to town. I hope Earl can stick it out for a couple more weeks. Maybe the money could come from the chambers budget. If a comparison is done with Kimberley's chamber and the services it provides, the difference could likely fully fund the shuttle. Just a thought.

It is my understanding that the DMO is tasked with bringing visitors to Fernie. What we do with them once they are here is out of the DMO hands. They put heads on pillows and butts in seats.

The Chamber is set up to help local businesses and the shuttle has understandably been under the Chamber umbrella until this year. The Chamber failed their members in not continuing to support their efforts with this venture. They dropped the ball hoping some one would pick it up on the bounce.

Alba's right. We need to treat each guest as the only guest and the in-town support needs to run from the Chamber down and the Chamber members back up to the Chamber Staff-Board. The members run the Chamber. If the members really want a free shuttle, they should pack the next Chamber Board meeting and get the Board to instruct the staff to develop the funding the shuttle.

Pretty simple.

Everyone seems to be sitting back and saying "Oh, they.ll do it." and pointing across the room.

Last about the shuttle. The original schedule as posted has been reduced, yet there are a ton of the original schedules floating around. There was no announcement of the change and no wholesale re-posting around town. I know of several visitors who have missed ski lessons because they went by an old posted schedule and there was no bus.

I just ain't workign this year.

Just curious Keith, have you actually spoken to someone on the Chamber board to find out what happened last year or do you just make this stuff up as you go along?

[quote=alba]So the Sue believes the community has failed them by not supporting a program of country music in Fernie and will be forced to provide an alternative program of entertainment.

The ski shuttle operators are upset that the service is not working out - despite that fact that there is a pitiful amount of information available and the day shuttle provides no service to the annex/7th Ave hotels. And the chamber won't even help out, they seem to be upset about that too. But why should the chamber help? The operators aren't even chamber members (according to the chamber website.) On the other hand, most of the accommodators who need the information are.

Is it up to the community to provide unreserved support for any old business providing any old service they feel like providing, or is it up to the businesses to step up their game a bit?
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Well in the first place, they were nuts for thinking a country bar was going to work in this town. And everybody knew that before they even opened the doors. The party crowd that is the bread and butter of the bar business in this town are very young and multi-national. They are into loud techno/rave music that they can dance to or hip- hop and metal. They want to PARTY...you think they're gonna hang out listening to some twangy old country music!? You're out of your mind. Get with the times or fail, they have no pity from me.

V, I don't know what happened either last year regarding the chamber and the shuttle operator. I expect there's an interesting story there.

All I can see is that a business is not a chamber member, and as a result the chamber is not providing any assistance to all of it members who need access and information to that business & it's services. I realise this is a very sticky point - if the chamber starts getting involved with businesses that are not members then that will cause others to think there is no need to be paying their fees. However, maybe this is a case where the needs of the the members outweighs those of the non-members?

Some good points there alba. Is the ski hill shuttle service a non-profit organization, or is it a profitable business? If it is a non-profit wouldn't it make sense for them to have funding from RCR or the City, or both?

I think it boils down to the same problem with the economy that the rest of the country is having. People are just not spending any money right now. It's also like a miniscale version of the OC transpo strike in Ottawa. It's up to us business owners to evolve and adapt. Dinosaurs will die.

I was talking to a few people up at the ski hill and they have said it has been dead since the holidays. Maybe this could be a combination of the economy and that we haven't got any snow in a while? Strange days!