New owner to cut rates of Mont Farlagne passes

EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick — The ski season will open Dec. 19 at Mont Farlagne with the future looking much brighter now that a local businessman has purchased the ski hill.

Jean-Yves St. Onge of St. Jacques learned Nov. 12 that a proposal he made had been accepted by the National Bank of Canada and the province, holders of $2.1 million in defaulted loans to the previous owners.

St. Onge, owner of St. Onge Forest Products of St. Jacques, formed a new company, B-Wise Inc., to operate the ski hill and associated properties.

He wouldn’t confirm or deny reports that he paid between $400,000 and $700,000 for the enterprise.

During a press conference Friday, St. Onge announced that he has reduced the price of family skiing passes by $200 (Canadian) a season and $50 for individuals. The family rate is now $800, while the individual rate is $250. He hopes to sell 1,000 to 1,200 season passes, 25 percent to 50 percent more than the 800 sold last year.

St. Onge also said there was no truth to a rumor that he would run the operation this winter and dismantle the ski hill in the spring. “I intend to hire people to run this operation. I have plans,” he said.

He said he wants to develop a four-season recreational area at Mont Farlagne. “I want to bring all kinds of people here, all year long.”

After the press conference, St. Onge, a businessman with 25 years in the logging industry, said he was first contacted in July to buy Mont Farlagne. It took the last four months to work out details.

The bleak news of the possible closing of Mont Farlagne in September changed last month when creditors announced the hill would open for the 1997 season.

Edmundston Ski Ltd., former owner of Mont Farlagne, turned over the keys to the facility to the National Bank of Canada in early October.

Mont Farlagne generated $700,000 in revenue last season but still suffered a loss of nearly $300,000. Edmunston Ski Ltd. had not made a profit on Mont Farlagne since the 1992-93 season.