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As I write this, I have just returned to my room from a sunset cruise off of Kaanapali Beach, Maui. But even as I finish up my bucket list trip to Hawaii, I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks for our club. This coming Thursday is our overnight bus trip sign-up night. The great thing about our overnight trips is that there are many more spaces than on charters. I plan on personally registering for the Holiday Valley trip!

This weekend myself and other volunteers will be representing the club at the Toronto Snow Show at the International Centre. If you are at the show, please stop by the HPSC booth and say hello! I personally feel that it is important for the future of our club that we continue to be seen as part of the Ontario snow sport industry. One of the best ways to gain new members is through direct interpersonal communication and that means being at the show.

As we get closer to the actual season, I am looking forward to meeting many of you at club activities including the last few weeks of SkiFit, at an upcoming New Member/Information night in November, as well as the Holiday event in early December. Please keep reading SnoBiz for all updates and  announcements.

Just a reminder that our Early Bird renewal price of $155 (+tax) ends next Tuesday. Starting on Wednesday, November 1 the renewal rate reverts back to the full price of $170 (+tax). Please don’t miss out!

If you were wondering, in place of my usual photo, this is the Tiki of Happiness. According to the note “Keep the Happiness Tiki by your side, it will bring happiness and joy to you and others around you.” After the last three years, we finally appear to be getting back to a normal season. I am hoping this Tiki will bring all of us Happiness and Joy this coming season.

Mahalo

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club

Back by popular demand! Ski Crossfit is a great way to get into tip-top shape for the upcoming ski/snowboard/snowshoe season.  The series runs for 7 weeks, beginning Sunday, October 15, 2023 at 5 pm.  Each workout emphasizes strength, power, speed, agility, coordination, mobility, flexibility and –most importantly–proper form for injury prevention.  All exercises can be modified based on participants’ fitness and comfort levels. 

Where: CrossFit Eglinton – Side Unit, 881 Eglinton Ave. W. Free parking is available on Peveril Hill, Chiltern Hill and Dewbourne.

When: Oct 15-Nov 26, 5 pm

How much: These classes are normally $30 per class when bought as a package, but HPSC is offering them to members for $15!

What to bring: Comfortable gym clothes, clean/ indoor running shoes, a water bottle and towel. 

The staff currently train athletes from many sports. They implement strength and conditioning programs for both performance enhancement and injury prevention for athletes of ALL levels. CrossFit Eglinton / SXS Fitness is also an official partner of Alpine Ontario where they provide fitness testing and contribute to weekly articles on a wide variety of topics ranging from stress relief tactics to nutrition to the best exercises/stretches to do at home.

Register here.

I love the Fall.  I love cooler weather. I love the special daylight we receive in autumn.  All of these come together for me on Saturday mornings while participating in our SkiFit program.  And now that The Grenadier has restored full table service on the weekend we are once again enjoying a group brunch after our exercise program.  SkiFit is a great way to prepare for the coming season and a fantastic way to reconnect with members or if you are new to the club to meet fellow members.  The program is open to members and potential members.  Registration opens each Tuesday. 

SkiFit is not the only way we get in shape for the season.  Once again, we are offering the opportunity to participate in a series of Cross Training sessions with a high level instructor and his staff on Sunday evenings.  If interested, please read the article below. 

The other major upcoming event is tomorrow night’s Charter trip sign up.  And this year we are offering more trips to choose from!  As experienced members know, charter trips can sell out very quickly so please review the process online prior to tomorrow night and be prepared to click to register for the trip you want at 8 pm sharp (according to CP24 news time!). You may need to hit refresh.  Step one registration is actually very fast – if you are signing up for two please note that you do not have to enter your roommates name at this point.  Good luck to everyone!

Over the next few months, we will be providing a lot of information regarding the upcoming season through SnoBiz so I urge you to review all of the articles in each edition.

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club

This year represents the club’s 74^th in operation We were founded in 1950 by a group of enthusiastic skiers who gathered at the High Park YMCA – which is where our name comes from. We are still a club of enthusiastic skiers (downhill and cross-country), snowboarders and snowshoers!  To learn more about our past, read the Short History of the Club on the website.  It is found in Club Documents under the About Us tab.  I personally love the Wolfman Jack story! 

This past weekend kicked off our 2023/24 season with a very well attended pub night at The Swan in Bloor West. It was great to catch up with old friends, as well as to speak with a number of new and potential members. 

Saturday was the first SkiFit session of the year – thank you to all who came out. It was fantastic to see the usual suspects as well as new members. SkiFit is open to everyone, including non-members – so if you know someone who is thinking of joining, this is a great way for them to get to know other members.  Or if you are a current member and want to meet fellow HPSCers, please come out. A big thank you to Karen Evans and John McHutchion for once again agreeing to lead the program this season. Registration opens each week on Tuesday for the following Saturday.   

The 2023 AGM will be conducted next Tuesday, September 19. We are again holding a hybrid meeting so you can attend in person at the National Yacht Club or via Zoom. The official notice went out in late August and registration is open. It is important that we achieve our quorum to ensure we are able to officially conduct the business of the club. Thank you for all those who have already registered, however, we currently do not have enough members registered to meet quorum and not everyone who registers ends up able to attend. If you cannot attend in person or virtually, please fill out the proxy form and send it to me prior to September 19 (see below).

As a reminder, at the AGM, we will also be holding the draw for the Ikon Pass rebate amongst those who purchased a pass through our group plan. Based on the sales in the program we will be able to draw four winners!

HPSC is a club with a fantastic history and what I feel is an outstanding future.  I sincerely believe our club is on the track for one of the best years we have had in recent memory!

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club

Ever since childhood, Labour Day has indicated a change, a new season. While for most of us it is no longer a return to school, there is still a sense of renewal. Speaking of renewal, you should be receiving a message regarding renewing your HPSC membership shortly. This year our regular membership rate remains at $170 (plus HST).  However, if you renew by October 31 the rate is just $155 (plus HST).  

The coming weeks also represent a step up in club activities. September 8 is our next social event being held at The Swan in Bloor West.This is a free event and registration is open. The next day is the start of this season’s SkiFit program in High Park (registration opens September 5).  

Please also mark your calendar for the 2023 AGM on Tuesday, September 19 – we are again holding a hybrid meeting so you can be at the National Yacht Club in person or attend via Zoom. The official notice went out a couple of weeks ago and registration is open. Thank you for all those who have already registered. If you cannot attend in person or virtually, please fill out the proxy form and send to me prior to September 19. It is important that we achieve our quorum to ensure we are able to officially conduct the business of the club.   

The second of three Long Trip Sign up events was held on August 24 for the two Club Med trips. The Peisey Vallandry, France trip sold out within a couple of minutes, while there is still room on the end of season Charlevoix (Le Massif) trip. The remaining charter trips open for registration on Thursday, September 28, while the bus trips open on October 26.

One last thing, when you log into the HPSC website you will also notice a more streamlined setup. We hope that this new arrangement will be more intuitive for members and potential members. I want to thank our Director of Marketing, Rocco Romeo, for taking on this project, our new Director of IT, Peter Kovalchuk, for his expertise, and all of the other Directors for their input and comments. 

I am sincerely looking forward to seeing and speaking with members at our various activities this fall.  

Cheers!

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club