Inspired by Dustin Cook’s silver medal at the World Alpine Championships, Club Mont Ste. Marie embarked on a multi phase project to rejuvenate and transform Mont Ste. Marie into a world class ski racing facility dubbed the Dustin Cook Training Centre (DCTC). Phase 1 of the project established the new FIS homologated "Dustin Cook" run for both SL & GS. This lengthened and widened the old "Outaouais" run and was made possible thanks to generous donations from 160 families that raised $190,000. The Dustin Cook run is now recognized as one of the best and most challenging GS runs in North America. Phase 2 comprised securing snow making grants to improve the snow capacity on Dustin Cook and across the resort, allowing for earlier, mid and late season training. All of this was made possible thanks to grants Club MSM procured and received from the MRC $100,00, Tourism Outaouais $75,000, Tourism Quebec $250,000 and the remainder from Mont Ste. Marie for a combined total of $724,000.

Now we are focusing on Phase 3, a world class Start Lodge at the top of Dustin Cook (DC). The Start Lodge has multiple benefits to attract athletes and races to MSM and the region. The world class start hut will have the length and width to fit several athletes and coaches inside prior to the athletes departure. On race days the lodge portion will be a place to warm up, stretch and prepare muscles to prevent injury. It will welcome athletes from Nancy Greene up to U21 and FIS athletes, volunteers, and officials and offer spectacular views of the racing and training below. It is estimated that the Start Lodge will have a positive impact on athlete development by increasing "time on snow" by up to 20%. No longer will time be wasted trekking back to the Vanier mountain for lunch or to warm up. On every other day, the Start Lodge is place for the rest of us to relax, warm up and enjoy the beautiful views until the bar opens!

After a few modifications, the Phase 3 Start Lodge budget (expected cost) has been lowered to $100,000 from $150,000. 

The main beneficiary of the Start Lodge will be Club Mont Ste Marie and it will become a club owned asset for athletes, club members, donors and friends. 

The Club has secured long term land use rights from the resort owner for the land where the Start Lodge will sit. Further, thanks to the success of the Phase 1 Homologation project, the Club negotiated and received official land title right of access to DC by way of an “easement” from the resort owner and the Municipality of Lac Ste. Marie. We are grateful for the co-operation of resort owner Bob Sudermann and are indeed very lucky that the resort owner is passionate about ski racing which has created a very unique and beneficial partnership between both parties.

Start Lodge is modelled after the start lodge at the top of the famous Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel Austria where World Cup races are run. 

"Seeing World Class racing at Mont Ste Marie has been a dream for a long time. With stage 1 complete, and stage 2 set to get underway this summer, the Start Lodge is another key piece of the puzzle to make this a reality!" Dustin Cook.

Start Lodge testimonials:

 

·      Maximize training time on snow is crucial and this will be a key piece all season long. (Ryan Malmberg – Canadian Ski Team Coach)

·      Allow us to stay warm, stay active and perform our best at the time of need. (Sierra Smith – Canadian Ski Team)

·      Start lodge brings legitimacy to the project. Special feeling standing in a real start hut getting ready to race. (Dustin Cook – Canadian Ski Team)

·      The racing experience will be much better and more professional (Aidan Marler – Quebec Ski Team)

·      It would encourage us to stay on DC all day to get adequate training the run offers (Nic Boivin – U10 Head Coach)

·      It will give all our athletes a boost of pride in their hill. This is just the thing we are missing to get our athletes excited to race. (Ben Beaudoin – U14 Head Coach)

·      A great place for volunteers and coaches to re-charge (Mark  Earle – Ontario Team in the 80’s!)

·      Being able to stay on DC would be so beneficial for racing and training days. (Julie Klotz)

·      A screening area would be amazing and allow for more coaching and learning.  (Bob Donnelly – Former Canadian Ski Team coach)

·      On cold days, we don't always get as much training in on Cheval as we would like, because we want to make sure the kids have a warm and comfortable place to warm-up. This will help increase our millage on Cheval, especially on cold days! (Estelle Buchbinder - Nancy Greene)

We have asked three local World Cup skiers to be our Start Lodge advisors: Dustin Cook, JP Roy and Pat Biggs. 


Dimensions / specs
Conceptually the warm up lodge portion would be rectangular in shape, 30 feet long by 20 feet wide, with views looking down the run and across the Gantineau hills. Inside would be heated by either a wood or propane oven and LED lights powered by a portable solar supply system. 

The start hut portion would be attached to the skiers right side of the lodge (provides the couse setter with more options) and be 12 feet wide by 16 feet deep. This will provide room for three to four athletes and coaches plus the starter, etc. 

Inside the lodge there would be long tables and benches, self serve hot chocolate and a stationary bike! There will be no running water or washrooms. 

Thanks to Pierre Hurteau from Collonade Bridgeport we may use a few posts and beams harvested from the old Trailhead building that was recently torn down on Scott street. 

Donations: 

Donors will be recognized and will have their name displayed on the donor wall inside the Start Lodge, leaving a permanent legacy for generations to come! 

Donors will be invited to an exclusive opening reception in the Start Lodge during the Christmas holidays.

There are five levels of support offered to both corporations and individuals to choose from: 

Olympian (Platinum) $10,000+
Crystal Globe $5,000+
Gold Medal $2,000+
Silver Medal $1,000+
Bronze Medal $500+
Friends of DC: 100-$499

StartLodge Committee: , Chris Klotz, Curtis Miles, Rob Sisttie, Paul Cook, Johny D'alesio, Patrick Murray, Julie Klotz, Angela Singhal, Susan Kulba, Ross Rowan-Legg, Anny Lemire

Phase 4 of the Dustin Cook Training Centre (DCTC) project is to create a new Finish Pavilion / competition headquarters at the finish area of DC. The race headquarters will comprise a structure(s) that contain the race timing centre, race headquarters for officials, equipment storage room (gates, netting, etc) and a volunteer centre which will be used by volunteers on race days and athletes on training days.  Should there be a surplus of money raised from Phase 3, we will allocate them to Phase 4.