Dartmouth College and The Skiway Advisory Board are planning to build a new $2- to $3-million lodge at the Dartmouth Skiway with money raised through donations.
John Wilson, the assistant director of facilities planning, said the plans are not yet final. The need for a new lodge "has been there for a long time" to replace the current one.
The old lodge was built in the 1950s, with an addition made in the 1960s. Wilson said the lodge's capacity is too small for the many weekend skiers.
Richard Heck, a senior officer at the College, said he sees the need for a more spacious lodge to handle more people at peak times. He would like to see a new lodge with safer access to rental facilities, a larger dining area and larger restrooms.
In 1995, the College began considering the possibility of building a new lodge. As of now, the College is not certain as to whether the new lodge will replace the old one or be in addition to the old one. Wilson said he thinks that the College will probably replace the old lodge.
Wilson said "people at the Skiway are anxious to do this." As early as the 1980s, the College questioned having a new Skiway facility when it acquired a new snow-making system.
Wilson said the Advisory Board, which is made up of alumni, students and local citizens, has been critical of the lodge's deficiencies. "It's a project on people's minds, but it hasn't been a priority for the college," Wilson said.
But construction for academic programs, such as the Berry Library and the new psychology building, has "precedence over the ski lodge," according to Wilson.
Since the College does not have the resources to fund a new lodge, the money will have to be raised through donations.
Heck, who serves on the new lodge's Advisory Committee, estimated the lodge will cost between $2 and $3 million.
Wilson said the College has done marketing studies to see if alumni groups and Friends of Skiing will raise enough money. These studies affirmed that the money is available.
The Building Committee is currently interviewing and selecting an architect for the project. Wilson said the best case scenario would be for the Committee to decide on an architect within two weeks.
Over the next five months, the Committee and the architect will complete the schematic design for the lodge -- the schematic will eventually be used for fund-raising. Then, the College could begin construction at the end of next year's ski season in 1999.
Over a year ago, the College hired a building consultant from Sno. Engineering Co., based in Littletown, which does consulting work all over the world. The company did a site analysis and surveyed to determine the best location for the new lodge, its carrying capacity and an increased parking capacity.
The Dartmouth Building Committee and the consultant will determine what type of facility would be appropriate. The Dean of the College's Office, which works closely with the Building Committee, has to give final authorization before any plans are made.
Wilson said he likes the current lodge but thinks it does not function well now. He said problems with the stairs and bathrooms and cafeteria crowds have led him to ski elsewhere "because it's more convenient."
Many students feel the need exists for an updated ski lodge. Frank Cappello '99, director of the ski patrol and administrative liaison to the DOC, said when parents go to the lodge to watch their children ski, Dartmouth students cannot sit down for lunch in such a small area with the kids gathered around the fireplace. Ford Sayre skiing programs also practice every day and add to the crowds in the lodge, Cappello said. "It defeats the purpose of having a lodge if it's always so crowded."
Those on the staff also see the need for a bigger lodge facility. Currently, the ski patrol has room for only one cot in its facilities. With 79 members of the ski patrol, and 20 people on patrol during weekends, Cappello said they need more room to house employees.
However, some students do not see the need for an updated lodge. Matt Dickman '00, a member of the Ski Patrol, said he thinks Dartmouth's ski lodge is "nice and quaint," and that it would be a "waste of money" to build a new lodge.
Ned Dybvig '00 said he thinks "the College should spend money on a new lift before building a new lodge. New trails would attract more people to the lodge."
Heck attributed the widespread interest in a new lodge to the importance of skiing to the College. Heck said he is "confident that they'll come up with a good design to take us through another 40 to 50 years."
