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1931 | 1937-1955 | 1946 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1960 | 1962
1931
Midland Ski Club was created. The newly organized ski club with Wm. A. Robinson as president met to plan the development of the club and the town as a winter resort area. Two jumps were built in the park, one five feet and one three feet.
1937-1955
Ski Jumps were built in 1937-1955 spearheaded by local Ski Jumping enthusiast Pete Peterson.
See https://huroniamuseum.com/museum-town/mountainview-ski-jumps/
1946
Victoria Harbour’s newest citizen was Thorbjorn Pettersen (later known as Pete Pettersen) of Drammen, Norway, who operated a taxi and service station. A skilful ski jumper, Mr. Pettersen had hopes of organizing a district ski club and training local jumpers.
1955
Bud Watson of the Midland Ski Club ran a Ski School for downhill skiing.
1956
“Waxing the Hickories” Young skiers learn the proper way to apply ski wax from Budd Watson, downhill and slalom ski instructor at the Midland Ski Club.
From “Wise and Otherwise” a quote from Pete Pettersen; “the credit for the success of the new Midland Ski property should in no small part go to Budd Watson. Budd’s instruction classes have won high praise from many visitors and some Torontonian’s have joined the club just to benefit from his teaching. Shutter bugging and slaloming have something in common with Budd who is also building up a reputation as a stage comic.”
Pete Pettersen strapped on his skis for the first time in seven years after badly breaking his leg, the only serious injury in the history of the Midland ski jump.
North Simcoe now has the highest ski jump tower in Canada at the new Midland Ski Resorts Ltd. about one mile west of town. The tower is 111 feet high and the ramp is 300 feet long, jumpers will be going 50 to 60 miles per hour when they reach the take off point.
These boys were flying. First ski jump meet of the season in Midland attracted a good number of entries and these four were among the top jumpers present. Hans Elder, Art Luostarinen, Louis Moser and Reino Kafja. Elder won the event and set a record of 164 feet on the new sixty meter jump.
Taken last Sunday during the Provincial Ski Jumping Championship, this photo shows part of the large crowd that turned out for the meet. With more onsite parking and the help of the Provincial Police and a provost corps from Base Borden, organizers were able to keep traffic flowing freely.
Skiers eye view from atop the 60 meter ski jump looking north east towards Midland.
(editorial note: The roadway is now called Sundowner Road but in 1956 it was the road to Perkinsfield and Balm Beach. It connects directly to Yonge Street and coming west on Yonge Street today you can still see that Yonge led directly to the base of the ski hill. Little Lake is on the right.)
New sign erected near the base of the new ski jump hill at County Road 6 proclaims the Midland Ski Club, site of the Canadian Ski Jumping Championship, February 23rd and 24th, 1957. Joan Reid, Diann Flynn and Barbara Allsopp.
Work has begun to lengthen and lower the base of the ski jump at the Midland Ski Club’s property. Pete Pettersen expects jump distances to increase by twenty feet.
Second annual ski school will be conducted at the Midland Ski Club by Budd Watson December 26th to 29th.
1957
“Wise & Otherwise” editorial feature; North Simcoe, indeed Simcoe County generally has been getting excellent publicity on the metropolitan sports pages for its skiing attractions. Twenty years ago who would have believed, for example, that the Midland-Penetang area would have been recommended by skiers as one of the best winter recreation spots in Ontario. Take a bow again, Pete Pettersen.
Possibly the largest crowd to date to use the facilities of Midland Resorts Ltd. took advantage of the perfect conditions last weekend. This was the long line of skiers waiting for their turn on the rope tow. Midland Ski Club.
Frequent snow flurries hampered Pete Pettersen’s famed ski jumping team from getting in some practice before the big invitational meet at Midland on January 27th. Front, Hans Eder, Pettersen, Eric Kurle; back row, Louis Moser, Hubert Shaunig, John Prestov and Bob Straubhaar.
First big ski jumping meet of the season attracted nearly 5,000 fans to Midland Ski Resorts Sunday. That’s Midland’s Eric Kurle on his way down the big hill for his practice jump.
Canadian Ski Jumping championship is to be held at the Midland Ski Club on the weekend of February 23rd.
Fashions in ski togs will be featured at a showing in the Parkside Inn Saturday afternoon, in conjunction with the Dominion ski jumping championships to be held in Midland Sunday. The free fashion show will be sponsored by Irving’s of Montreal. Grace Edgar, prepares for the event by trying an outfit from the Wool Shop which features a red and black striped gabardine jacket with black wool trim, and navy worsted slacks. Michael Milner chose another Wool Shop outfit with weatherproof all wool slacks and a pale blue gabardine jacket with matching cap.
August 1957, following the lead of several European ski jumps a summer competition was held. Snow was created by crushing tons of ice to cover the jump and landing area as seen in this photo.
Ski enthusiasts will no longer have to crowd into the tiny shack which served as a chalet at Midland Ski Resorts when next season rolls around. There’ll be plenty of room for everybody in this 90-foot building which used to serve as the community hall at Little Lake Park. Cut in three sections, it was moved to its new site early last week. Plans are also underway to have the building serviced with hydro and water.
When the old community center in Little Lake Park was cut into three sections for transportation to its new site on ski club property, it was discovered that the flooring was three inch by one inch Douglas fir—LAID ON EDGE!
1958
There is good news for skiers this week in the announcement that Midland Ski Club will operate for the rest of the season. The 600-foot tow is expected to be back in operation this weekend. Club members were busy Wednesday getting the new chalet in shape to handle both local and visiting skiers’ needs.
We have posted this picture in the past but it needs another look. The view is to the NE from the slope of the Midland Ski Resort west of Midland. At the foot of the hill are the old and new ski chalets. Hidden in the tree line can be seen highway 27 to Penetang and beyond the Simcoe Elevator on the left and the Dominion Ave. water tower to the right. The property along the tree line will become the site of the Mountainview Mall.
Midland Ski Club has made arrangements to resume operation of the regular ski hill and expects to have a 600-foot tow in operation this weekend. For the time being at least, the big jump, owned by Midland Ski Resorts Ltd., will remain idle. President of the ski club, Ray Smith said yesterday the new chalet will also be made ready and a snack bar put in operation for this weekend. The chalet, an excellent building, was the former community hall in Little Lake Park. It was dismantled and moved to the ski club site last spring.
Having the rope tow in operation again has been a boon to both members of Midland Ski Club and visitors who have been out in large numbers on recent weekends. Snow conditions were almost perfect last weekend. (Sorry mom, it wasn’t me that ruined my new coat, it was the rope tow!)
1960
The Foster Family started running the ski hill
View from the top of the ski jump. Photo taken in the early 1960’s.
1962
SNARE TOP ‘63 SKI EVENT – AREA OUTBIDS TWO OTHERS
Free Press Herald, May 25, 1962
Midland – Penetanguishene will host the 1963 Nordic Ski Championships next March 15 to 17, it was announced by the Canadian Amateur Ski Association meeting in Montreal this week. Top skiers from all over Canada are expected to compete in the jumping and cross country events during the three-day meet. This area was chosen over two others that made a bid for the annual competitions, as well as Midland. “It will be a big boost for hotels, motels, restaurants, service stations and other businesses, always hoping for something like this during the winter months.” Mr. Parker said. “We are delighted to hear about this event. We will cooperate with Pete Pettersen in any way we can to make the event a success.” said R. B. Moffatt, general – manager of Midland Chamber of Commerce.
Big sign telling of the Canadian ski jumping championships to be held in Midland next winter dwarfs Gail Salmon, Ottawa, and Lynne Baril, Toronto, guests at a tourist camp on Little Lake. Bathing suits were dandy this week, but officials hope for a little colder weather, with snow, for March.