The University of New Brunswick’s Ski and Board Club promotes affordable options to students looking for some excitement on the slopes by providing transportation and discounts for a one-time fee of just $70.
For years, every Thursday, students from across the UNB campus would assemble at the Student Union Building. A bus would take them to Crabbe Mountain; upon arrival, the hill’s floodlights would shine bright, allowing guests to ski and snowboard until 9:00 p.m. Founded in 2012, The Ski and Board Club quickly gained a number of loyal members, giving students affordable transportation in the process.
In 2020, the club, upon being subjected to a verifiable ‘perfect storm’ of funding issues and problems with insurance, disbanded. Members were left feeling disappointed, confused, and saddened.
Why, members wondered, had a club as popular and useful to the student community as Ski and Board been forced to shut down?
By mid-2020, bussing issues and concerns regarding the then-developing COVID-19 pandemic had coalesced, making the club’s mandate largely untenable. With total expenses reaching as high as $1,000 per trip, it became difficult, if not impossible, to keep the club operational for the rest of the year. Ski and Board had no choice but to refund its members and shut down for the season. Many students feared the club would never return.
Until now, that is.
The Brunswickan spoke with Brennan Marks, an organizer for The Ski and Board Club, who informed us that they would soon be returning refreshed and well-prepared for the Winter season.
“We’ve already run through with UNB risk management and the Student Union insurance,” Marks explained. “They’re both able to cover Trius, which as well obviously have their own insurance. The other bussing company didn’t have adequate insurance. So that was the big ‘shutting down of The Ski and Board Club,’ and it happened very quickly, which caused a lot of disruption and obviously a lot of frustration from club members. We’re confident that this year with our new program and our new setup, it won’t be an issue in that it’ll be a safe way to get to Crabbe Mountain for everyone.”
After a long period of stagnation in 2021, Marks, alongside Ellen Jane Petrie, plan to reopen The Ski and Board Club for the forthcoming 2022 season. The club prides itself in giving students a positive outlet for physical activity, as well as a safe environment for socializing. For $70, students can secure weekly drives to Crabbe Mountain until it closes near the end of term.
“When the club shut down, it impacted quite a lot of people, and there was, you know, a lot of whispers and rumours about what had happened. Though yeah, I think they’re fair questions. The main message that Ellen and I really want to get out is that we really want people to sign up. We want the club to start up again to give people the opportunity to get on the hill.”
Stay updated with The Ski and Board Club on Facebook and Instagram @TheUNBSkiBoard.