Olympic course designer John Aalberg says Caledonia Nordic Ski Club's latest improvement will be a world-class addition for cross-country and biathlon skiers
John Aalberg has decades of experience building cross-country ski courses from the ground up and has been tasked with the job of converting Otway Nordic Centre to a year-round skiing facility with the addition of paved trails.
The $1.25-million paving project at Otway is being funded by a provincial Destination Development Fund grant and the club has also applied for federal funding , leveraged by Pettersen. The 1.5-kilometre lower loop starts with a 12-metre wide area in front of the biathlon shooting range and will take roller skiers past a paved penalty loop/compound that will also be used for skills teaching. A five-metre wide trail will lead up the Night Rider hill and will follow a series of banked downhill corners that lead into a long straight stretch to connect to the stadium flats. A paved para sit-ski connector will also be built to avoid the larger hill on the 1.5 km loop.
The asphalt pavement will be mixed with a polymer that makes it more resistant to cracking, which increases the cost slightly but also adds to its lifespan. “When I was chatting with Robin McKeever about the roller ski thing, he was saying they can’t have their camps in Canmore anymore because it’s too expensive,” said Pettersen. “It’s ironic that you have a national training centre there and you can’t afford to bring your athletes there.
“This is so important for Biathlon BC, they’re going to love it,” predicts Aalberg. “The sport is going to grow. By having that here you’re going to inspire so many kids in Prince George to stay with the sport.”
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