February 1999 West Vancouver Historical Society Page 5 COMING EVENTS HOLLYBURN SKI CAMP PROJECT West Vancouver Historical Society Next General Meeting Wednesday, February 24th, 1999 at 7:00 pm At the Senior's Activity Centre, 695 - 21st St. West Van. Speaker - Preben Mortensen Topic - Remember for the Future. Date of the following General Meeting Wednesday April 28th, 1999 at 7:00 pm This is the A.G.M Piease make every effort to attend. SPECIAL EVENTS: Heritage Week February 15-21, 1999 (see page 4 for information) EXHIBITION: West Vancouver Museum Kw'achmixwaylh - "Showing of the Pictures." (On till August) Open: Tues. - Sat. 12 - 4:30 pm Important Notice At the February 24th, 1999, public general meeting the following resolution will be put to the membership. "That the number of Directors serving on the West Vancouver Historical Soch ety Board of Directors shall be a maximum of thirteen (13)." Please be sure to bring your 1999 membership card. By: lola Knight Hollybum Ski Camp was constructed in 1926 by three enthusiastic Scandinavian men: Ole Anderson, Oscar Pearson and Andrew Israel. They, along with a promoter named Rudolph Verne, wanted to introduce the sport of skiing to this area. The material they used for the original Camp was taken from the then-abandoned Nasmyth lumber mill and its camp buildings which had been built originally in 1919. The first camp building was erected below its present site, however whra they discovered that the snow level often diminished at their level, they moved the building to its present position, close to First Lake. Hollybum Ski Camp was the mountain home for all the early skiers who, with help and encouragement from the three original lads, quickly became enthralled with the sport. A sign over the door read - "If cold and alone let this be your home, Be of good cheer you are welcome here." As more people enjoyed skiing on the mountain, the Hollybum Pacific Ski Club was formed - the first organised ski club on the Pacific coast! The aim was to encourage interest in the sport and the Camp quickly became the place for public assembly. It was soon expanded, providing food and accommodation, renting out skis and also running an excellent ski school for beginners, as well as coaching for those who were more advanced. Enthusiasm grew and inevitably more and more young people were attracted to Hollybum, often coming to spend whole weekends on the mountain and enjoying the company of their peers. Soon almost 300 cabins were built on Hollybum Ridge by young men who took their materials from the abandoned Nasmyth flume which ran from First Lake down to the PGE Railway's Sherman Station at the waterjfront. It was quite a community and several people lived there year round. Cabins did change hands as people left the area to work in other places, and the Hollybum Ski Camp building itself was no different. The last family to own it were the Burfields who, it is believed, changed the name to "Hollybum Lodge". This name continued in use until 1984 when the whole mountain area became a Provincial Park. At present an empty building, the name "Hollybum Lodge" still appears in a sign over the entrance. In 1996, under the auspices of BC Parks and Cypress Bowl Recreations Limited, a Masterplan was (Contd. page 8)