Introduction Video

Transcript:

[Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre logo on a white screen]

Al Fisher: Skiing was my whole lifestyle. 

Ruth Grubisic: Everybody in Rossland waited for snow and would ski or bobsled and the, the roads were not gravelled in those days. And there was not a lot of car traffic so if there was a hill in your neighbourhood you would either have somebody’s – your old brother’s skis or your borrowed skis and you went down it. And the big thing with Allan and his neighbourhood they used to go down to the fields in Happy Valley and they would have a ski jump. That was their whole life was just playing outdoors in the snow.

Butch Boutry: My Name is Butch Boutry and I started skiing probably when I was six years old. I started skiing on the streets of Rossland. You know, just, and then went up into what’s called Ozeroff’s Field. We learnt to ski there and then I think when I was about twelve I ventured out to Red Mountain.

Ginger Banes: My name is Ginger Banes. I was Ginger Edwards. I was put on skis at age eighteen months. It was a way of life in our family. Most kids got skis and ski boots for Christmas presents. They were like having to go buy a winter jacket. We had to have our ski equipment. We always thought we were really spoiled, but you had to ski in our family.

Nancy Green Raine: My father was an engineer with what was called CM&S in those days. Became Cominco, now Teck. So my mom and dad were both founding members of the Red Mountain Ski Club, and my dad for many years was the secretary and was involved with the marketing. My mother was looking after us kids. My dad was often tinkering on the lifts. But they were very keen skiers and we skied every chance we got. My name is Nancy Greene Raine. I was Nancy Greene growing up, and I started skiing in Rossland when I was about three. And of course the ski lifts were built when I was four. So I had the benefit of growing up skiing on a big mountain. 

Don Stevens: I’m Don Stevens. I started skiing somewhere around the age of two or three. Don’t really remember because my mom would just drag me up the hill to go.

Patricia Stevens: My name is Patricia Stevens, and I started skiing when I got a boyfriend that was a ski racer (laughs). I really loved skiing. Being out in the open air. Being able to feel that little zip in your skis when you’re coming down the hill. It was my passion after I learned and I got to ski with all the guys so I got, I would say I got fairly good.

Robin Valentine: I’m Robin Valentine. I started skiing probably when I was two or three in North Eastern Ontario.

Sean Valentine: Sean Valentine. I started skiing at three I think. Started the Red Mountain Racers when I was about six years old. Five or six I guess, and was a Red Mountain Racer from then until… I think I was thirty seven. So quite a few years in consecutive with the club there.

Robin Valentine: We’ve gained a lot of friends in Rossland over the years from skiing.

Libby Martin: Met my husband. He came here to climb mountains and ski. And here we are…still. Neither of us any intention of staying. But it just happened. As it does to many.

Fiona Martin: My name is Fiona Martin, and my mom and dad were avid skiers. And I started skiing when I was about two. We didn’t really have any choices. We were bundled into the car every Saturday and Sunday, and I was a Nancy Greene Ski Racer and  then a Bantam Ski Racer and a cardholder, and when I quit ski racing I was a coach. And then I became a teacher and I made the choice to stay here, because of skiing.

Ruth Grubisic.: The ski hill knew no class system. Before there was the school teachers, and the Cominco staff and the workers. And then when we went to the ski hill you sat by your doctor or you skied better than him or…it was a whole different world, and it – it changed all of Rossland. And I think that’s the biggest thing. And it gave the little guy a confidence to go ahead and do other things.

[Text which reads, “Supported by” followed with a blue logo for the Trail and District Arts Council]