SAM Magazine-Thombery, Ontario, Sept. 1, 2009-On the afternoon of Aug. 20, an F2 tornado blew through this ski and snowboard clubon Georgian Bay, carving a path of destruction from the area down to and including the area's remote pumphouse on the bay. The tornado passed through three of the area's chairlits, grazed a fourth, and removed the roof and some siding from the multipurpose maintenance/staff /alpine building. Countless trees were brought down as well. No cost estimates are available yet.

Four employees were at the area during the tornado, but no injuries were reported. The four took shelter in a pit in the snowmaking facility, which was 40 feet outside the tornado's path. The base lodge was 150 outside the storm's path as well.

The area is currently assessing the extent of the damage. Engineers from Leitner Poma Canada have inspected the chair lifts, which suffered deropements, bent safety bars, and other damage. Chairs had been removed from two of the lifts; chairs on the detachable line incurred the most destruction. Twenty percent of the chairs for a fourth lift had been removed for NDT work, and those were picked up and deposited in a heap, with damage mainly to safety bars and seat supports.

The maintenance building needs a new roof and siding, but has been found to be structurally sound. However, the area lost a total of six smaller outbuildings to the tornado, including a lift shack, race timing shack, and first-aid building. Comm lines and fault arrest systems were also affected, and the remote pumphouse on the bay incurred minor damage. The tornado also wiped out some nearby homes and condos. The total path was extensive, and resulted in the region being declared a disaster area.

Area manager Darrell Dennis said that despite the extensive damage, the resort hopes to be back in operation in time for the opening of the season in late November.

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