The Fraser Valley Water Ski Club needs all of your help

[waterskicorey]

 

To all skiers, sponsors and friends

 

We would like to ask each and every one of you for a favour. Albert Dyck Park, home of the Fraser Valley Watersk Club (www.fvwsc.org), in Abbotsford B.C. Canada, is under the threat of a private company proposing a cable park be assembled in Albert Dyck Lake, which would put an end to traditional waterskiing on our lake. We have reviewed the cable park proposal and based on their requirements we would not be able to run a boat or host three event waterskiing in the future. We proposed sharing the lake with them, but they were not interested. We have held many Pro, International, National and Regional events at our lake and as well as teaching hundreds of people of all ages to ski/wakeboard, as well as having many people from all over the world, come and ski with us. We do not want to lose our site. We would appreciate a short letter of support from each one of you to help save our lake and club. Please include your name, address and email as we believe if we have people from all around the world send letters it will help. Feel free to e-mail either one of us if you have any questions. Thank you.

Below is a sample letter and our email address.

 

To whom it may concern

 

Albert Dyck Park is a world class water-ski facility. The Fraser Valley Water-ski club has hosted many National and World Class Water Ski and Wakeboard tournaments in Abbotsford over the last sixteen years.

 

To terminate the sport of Water Skiing and the Fraser Valley Water Ski Club would be detrimental to the community, the sport and many of us that travel from all around our Nation and the World to participate in such events.

Please support Waterskiing in Abbotsford

 

Please copy this letter or write your own version and send it to

 

Dave Miller

Big Dawg Skier

Dmiller@fixauto.com

or

Corey Walters

President

FVWSC

waterskicorey@hotmail.com

 

Please feel free to forward this to all your friends!

Thank you

 

 

[rodltg2]

That blows! The site I was at was recently purchased by a group who is doing the same thing. I do beleive they are keeping lake 1 for traditional slalom though. Wakeboarders suck!

[jipster43]

Again. This is why I fear change. Good luck Corey!

[TheBigHead]

This would be terrible! the FVWSC is a great club and although I am not a member I have spent the last 3-4 years at all of their public ski nights.

 

It would be a shame if this happened, and just hearing about the possibility angers and frustrates me.

 

 

[CsSkis]

Which lake are you referring to in Abbotsford? Mill Lake, or?

[TheBigHead]

Its actually called Albert Dyck lake, off of clearbrook road behind the abbotsford airport.

 

I think some of my abbotsford friends used to call it miller lake, but i am unsure about that.

[jayski]

I hope WSWC is getting involved in this!

[6balls]

Never been there, probably never will but sent letter. I agree w/OB that if BOTH could be done it's fine as it expands the sport. I don't like, however, losing a 3-event facility in exchange for a cable park.

[TheBigHead]

Both at the same site would be great!

 

FVWSC already offers public ski nights for 30$ a set ( I believe ), I doubt they would be doing PE classes but you never know.

 

Both together yes, exchange one for the other no thanks.

 

The costs associated with both sports are very similar, I would say they are both financialy prohibitive. Looking at it from both sides, I think the same issues arise.

[TheBigHead]

^^

 

Heres to hoping for the best!

[rodltg2]

http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1722173#post1722173

[501Brandon]

WOW!!! Why is it that they have to take over everything? Its the same on the snow with the boarders! This will be the start of all clubs that lease lakes loosing out, once this catches on there will be a bunch of clubs getting overrun and have their sights stolen! ! I hope everyone gets on and signs/writes a letter for this club!

[Nick Sullivan]

I went to the Facebook page and left my concerns.

 

 

 

 

 

[rodltg2]

Its not even my battle, but it pisses me off. They claim this cable park will be better for the people of the city because more people will be able to enjoy it. They are probably right, but how does it this make it okay? It all about $$$. Maybe they should tear down my favorite restaurant and put in a Mcdonalds because more people will enjoy it!

[501Brandon]

@rodltg I agree! Its fundamentally not right. Every public water way we all used to frequent, those one off coves, the barefoot allies and so on are no longer skier friendly. They have all been taken over by boarders and surfers. I find it hard to believe that the City in this instance is not seeing through all this smoke and is willing to take on the risk. Its hard to argue with the numbers that they can present however at the end of it a few years down the road when the lake and surrounding area is trashed out and its a hang out for a select few they will regret the choice... To say it will serve all watersport enthusiasts could be a true statement but like most of the other parks you dont see slalom, trick, jump or even kneeboarders featured or advertised. So indeed they intend on serving a primary group wakeboarders.

I call this whole manuever Stealing cause thats really what it is. What I do hope is if they do win this and get the lease the City hits them with a huge unexpected lease amount!

[jipster43]

It's definitely bad wakeboard karma.

[Steven_Haines]

In Canyon Lake we are forced to coexist with the wake boarders. Our site is a long inlet that feeds the lake. We have a course in the front half and the boarders have the back area. Most of the boarders are good people and easy to get along with. The ones that cause the problems are the "so called" pros and the flunkys that hang with them. They've been caught demolishing our course and are constantly coming into the course during a skiers set with their middle finger flying. There extremely arrogant and are always trying to start fights with the skiers. I don't understand why anyone would want to promote that type of behavior. For a season or two they lost their rights to hold events at the site due to trash, drinking and profanity. I realize that not all boarders are this way but when you drive by their events and hear the music and profanity and see all the kids running around listening to this it makes you wonder. I'm not perfect by any means but I try to set a good example for my kids and in my mind this isn't the type of thing I want my kids around.

[chrispenner]

Some insight to all my fellow BOS brothern and sistern.

 

Facts:

-FVWSC is currently being threatened by a cable park proposal.

-We need all the support we can please send letters as Corey has asked.

-Join our fanpage. www.facebook.com/savethefvwsc

-Proposal has not gone past the point of an idea and official proposals haven't even began.

-The land was donated to the city by the Dyck family.

-95% chance the city will turn down the idea and won't even go to proposal stage because the land was donated on the basis that it be used for all citizens enjoyment not as a grounds for private business to run a for profit organization.

-The site is not optimal for cable park use. Many other things play into this ie. location, changing water levels, cost of upgrades to facility to make city happy, to long of cable runs, not suited for beginners, etc.

-Large percentage of cable park users don't have a car or license (based on research from other cable park owners/operators. This site is no where near a bus route.

-FVWSC is a non-profit organization.

-Anyone can join FVWSC, many membership options are available to meet everyone's budget.

-Towed water sports aren't cheap.

-Public nights available July and August. $30 a set (6 pass in the course or 20 mins of ride time).

-Cable parks north of Central & Southern California, Florida & Texas don't make money.

-Lakes don't freeze here so it can't be utilized as a snowboard park in the winter.

-Based on lake specs and proposed cable park set up this would not be making this site more inclusive but exclusive to wakeboarders/wake skiers only. No way to slalom (who would want to anyway), no disabled access, no barefoot, no ski jumping, very difficult to learn on, no boom. etc.

-No other private ski site with in 1000KM (600 miles) in Canada.

-Anyone can drop in anytime just contact a club member. All we ask is that after 3 visits you join as a casual member ($200 bucks for the year)

-FVWSC is not against cable parks we just feel that they should go build a site somewhere else.

 

 

Opinion:

-If cable was installed talk of 2 hr ride pass to be $30ish dollars. Perceived value is higher because you are able to ride for 2 hrs. Actual ride time based on July & August (peek season) would be similar to 20-30 mins. actual ride time it just is spread out over 2 hrs. based on 30-40 people at the park and 6-9 max ride capacity etc.

 

Everyone seems to always be so focused on the cost and making it cheaper blah, blah, blah. I am all for growing the sport that's why we have public days and organizations like INT League. Look at other options like a boat share program, etc. If you look at the cost of boat ownership and then look at the cost of beginning a club member. I could ski at the club for 20 years before ever paying off what it would cost me to even own a used boat. So as far as affordability goes people need to give there head a shake. Everything costs money, something more then others. Life is full of choices, you are free to make yours. I have made mine and I choose to ski/barefoot.

 

I don't feel a 3-event site should be closed down just so someone can "try" to make money and "appeal" to a larger audience.

 

There is a council meeting scheduled for Feb 21 at 430 pm at Abbotsford City Hall. The more that attend the better. We hope for a final decision on that day in favor of shutting down any ideas of entertaining a cable park be built at alber dyck park. We have volunteered to help the people leading the cable park venture team to find a better more suitable site.

 

Thanks for the help BOS'ers. If I forgot anything or you have a questions please ask.

 

Cheers!

 

 

[chrispenner]

@thebighead. Other names for Albert Dyck Park. Molson, & Walmsley Lake.

 

Cheers!