Ocean Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 This doesn't look so good! https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/mont-cascades-closed-due-to-fire-at-main-chalet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 Very sad development and turn for this mountain. Definitely the nicest chalet in the region. Very rustic and authentic. The media is reporting the chalet was destroyed with only the stone chimney and the steel structure remaining. They are closed today and tomorrow and will provide an update in the near future. Good memories there. We went by today. The chalet is indeed a total loss sadly. As the media reported, only the chimney still stands from the stone fireplace, although severely damaged. The damage extends out to the ticket windows on the entrance side and the whole thing is reduced to rubble. The Mont Cascades entrance arch by the Quad chairlift and the parking seems intact though, so it didn't seem to extend beyond that edge of the building. The other building immediately to the side of the chalet (near the kiddie water slides) looks to be intact as well. I think in the summer it serves as the first aid station. Really rough and sad to see, such an iconic chalet. Remember that the mountain first opened around 1978 or so if I am not mistaken, so it is the most recent mountain in the region and the chalet was original. Val St-Come had their chalet burn down a few years ago and they managed to press on and move forward in fairly quick order. I can't remember the timing of when it caught fire though, but we are just at the beginning of August, if things mobilize quickly they could have something new up in time for the season. Perhaps not fully finished but operational which is what matters most. Happened at Val St-Come and they turned things around, I'm optimistic here. Lots of love at this mountain, they will pull through and come back strong. All the support to them in this tough time. September 21, 2018 so the fire at Mont Cascades happened about a month and a half earlier than what happened at Val St-Come if they could pull it off in that little time, Cascades has an additional 1.5 months time to put something in place for the coming season Here are some pictures I managed to get while driving by on Chemin Mont Cascades. The front side is all blocked off. At the time I was passing by, there was some media taking video and pictures as well, but they went right up to the perimeter so they will likely have more pictures closer up in the news at some point. Après Skier 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 Mont Cascades posted this statement on their Facebook Page late this afternoon. ---- The fire that broke out in the main chalet at Mont Cascades occurred around 7:30 Sunday morning. Fortunately, no one was injured. As for the building, it has officially been declared a total loss. According to Marc Sattlecker, Fire chief for the Town of Cantley, all indications are that the fire is not of criminal intent. At this time, the scenario being considered is an electrical failure. "The entire team is affected by this incident but we can already tell you that new infrastructure will be built as soon as possible. Our customers and employees remain our priority and we will put all the necessary resources to make it happen." - Luc Desormeaux, VP General Manager Our facilities will be completely closed for the week, and by Friday we should be able to present a concrete plan for the reopening. For season pass and day ticket holders, we are still considering the possibility of continuing the summer season and are awaiting expert advice on this matter. One of our current priorities is to get our computer and telephone systems back up and running. As soon as this is done, we will be in direct contact with customers who purchased tickets online to issue refunds. The management of Mont Cascades would like to thank the Cantley, Chelsea, La Pêche, Val des Monts and Gatineau fire departments. Thanks also to our customers for their incredible support throughout the events. "Over the years, a truly loyal community has been built around this mountain and we are extremely touched by the messages received" - Luc Desormeaux. No interviews will be given. Thank you, -The Management Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 New Update just posted today by Mont Cascades. The summer waterpark season has unfortunately come to an end, as a result of the heavy machinery to clear the debris and the short deadlines from suppliers to get things rebuilt. They are now going to focus on preparing for the winter season and do state, there will be skiing this winter! ---- UPDATE ON OUR REOPENING PLAN After a complete analysis of the situation and according to the delays required by several suppliers, it is obvious that a reopening is impossible in the short term. With the heavy machinery working on the dismantling and cleaning of debris, we feel that the site would not be safe for our guests. We must therefore unfortunately announce that the 2021 summer season is over. From now on, our team will concentrate its efforts on reopening for the winter season. One thing is certain: there will be skiing this winter at Mont Cascades. All ticket holders and subscribers will be contacted directly as soon as our computer and telephone systems are restored. It may take a few days for the process to be completed so we thank you for your patience. Please be assured that all cases will be addressed as soon as possible. On behalf of the entire team, thank you again for the countless messages of support received during these recent events. Updates will follow soon. Thank you. -The Management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Pictures from Saturday, September 11th. The upper portion of the chalet is gone but the lower level (customer service and boutique, etc) is still there. Still would need to be removed and cleared to make way for a new chalet. Interested to see when we will learn more details and if they have any concept drawings yet or renders of what the new chalet will look like. Hoping that it is larger than the original, or with a better layout to make more use of the space, with a ground level entrance. Never really liked how you had to go up a floor of stairs to get to the entrance. Even the customer service and boutique made you go up a few stairs to reach the door. Definitely plenty of space if they expand outward towards the parking lot to make something more substantial and spacious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 Went by again a few days ago, not really any different than the last post earlier in September. The "first floor" of the chalet is still there and there doesn't appear to have been any further demolition, so not optimistic that they will start construction of a new chalet in the place of the old one before the ski season starts. It's now been nearly 2.5 months since the fire that consumed the chalet, with no further news on the plan for the coming winter (other then the fact that they will be open for skiing). They may still be trying to sort out their plan, but I am a bit surprised by the lack of work done visually at the mountain. Potentially they just removed the portion of the structure that was at risk of collapsing and will handle the rest later on when the new one gets built. With the season starting in about 2 months, I'm sure more details will be coming soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Posted October 15, 2021 Author Share Posted October 15, 2021 @Shane well there are all kinds of delays in the supply chain for construction materials. My in-laws moved into a brand new building and for instance they didn't have a garage door the first few weeks, and there are other things not yet finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Update ski season 2021-22 as of Oct 15th, 2021 Dear Skiers and Snowboarders, The delivery and installation of temporary shelters has begun. We are on schedule and the work is going well. We will be posting some photos on our FB page. You still have 2 more weeks to take advantage of our season pass pre-winter pricing. We look forward to seeing you all on the slopes this winter! The Management Team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 Posted today (Nov 1, 2022) on Mont Cascades' facebook page, new chalet construction will start Spring 2023 and be ready for the next season. It appears the parking area between the main quad and the magic carpets has been cleared, likely the new home of the new chalet. Good news! The schedule for the construction of the new chalet is advancing rapidly. We are very happy to announce that the new chalet will be moved closer to the learning area, which will improve greatly the experience of families. The construction of this new chalet is scheduled to start in March 2023. By the end of the work, estimated in the fall of 2023, temporary buildings will be at your disposal. The comfort and services of these facilities have been significantly improved and will provide you with heat, food, toilets during the design and construction process. We can't wait to unveil this new space for the ski season. 2023-2024. In the meantime, stay tuned to our website and media social media on which you will be shared the details and next steps of this beautiful project. Cordially, The Mont Cascades team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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