Draft proposal presented, now awaiting town board approval
The Polar Bear Ski Club has propsed the building of two yurts, similar to the one above, on the site of the current play area at McCauley Mountain
Old Forge’s Polar Bear Ski Club would like to construct two structures at the base of McCauley Mountain to serve as shelters and warm-up areas for skiers, and to allow for ski equipment storage, said Will Hollister who gave a presentation and draft proposal to the Town of Webb Board last Tuesday. And the club would like the structures in place by this winter, which would allow McCauley to host Kandahar, a major ski event in upstate New York. That 200-skier race and similar opportunities would be boons for the local economy, particularly the motels and restaurants, Hollister said. Other Polar Bear members in attendance were Andrea Hollister and Bob DiOrio. The structures, known as “yurts,” would be circular in design and about 30 feet in diameter, and cost about $15,000 each, Hollister said. The walls would consist of 8-foot-high wood lattice. The roofing frame would consist of 2×6-inch boards that rise to about 13 feet at the yurt’s center. “They will be very decorative,” Hollister said. The entire structure would be covered with a durable vinyl membrane and insulated. The membrane material, which is thin and light-weight and manufactured by Duro-Last, is also leak-proof, fireproof and tear-resistant. “It’s bullet-proof essentially,” Hollister said. The structures would need outfitting for heat at an estimated cost of $5,150, according to Hollister, as well as water and electric. During ski season, temperatures in the yurts would be kept at 50 to 65 degrees. The structures’ foundations could be either concrete slab or wood frame, according to Hollister. Councilman Mike Ross suggested that wood may be preferred by the town, due to its ability to be moved if necessary. Hollister said a wood frame foundation would also allow simple placement of heating ducts below the floor. The cost to build one of the yurts would be incurred by the Polar Bears. The second yurt would be financed by the Mohawk Valley Ski Team, which also uses McCauley Mountain as a home base for its training and race events. Even though the yurts would be owned by the two ski clubs, they would be available for a variety of year-round uses at McCauley, Hollister said. The space they occupied at the mountain would be leased from the town, he added. Maintenance and cleaning would be the clubs’ responsibility. Additonally, the structures would have three windows and two doors and comply with New York State building requirements. Inside would be 45 cubbies, some tables and benches, and a coach’s desk, Hollister said. Town of Webb Supervisor Robert Moore said he would like some time to look carefully at the Polar Bear proposal. He said he wants to understand the town’s obligations fully, and determine the budgetary effects of such an agreement. Councilwoman Kate Russell, who has been part of a McCauley improvement committee along with Councilman Richard Risley, said the yurt project is entirely separate from her committee’s work. Her committee continues to gather ideas for improving the existing McCauley Chalet. It will be meeting this month to hopefully sketch out some plans, Russell said.
