The Official Newspaper Of The Town And Village Of Ellicottville, New York The Official Newspaper Of Great Valley, New York
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 39 FREE www.EllicottvilleTimes.com
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012
Opening Day at Holiday Valley:
• Ground Floor of Lodge Open Limited Hours Tomorrow • Slopes to Open Next Weekend Weather Permitting Even with the disappointing absence of snow, the ground floor of the new $12 million Holiday Valley Lodge will be open to the public as of Saturday, Dec. 1. Visitors coming to explore the new $12 million lodge surely will be impressed by its carefully planned and crafted indoor and outdoor spaces, all built in less than eight months. As soon as you step inside, you’ll discover shimmering tile work, richly painted walls, expansive windows, vaulted ceilings, custom furniture, as well as ski memorabilia and original artwork from local artists and artisans like Sean Huntington, Paul Boccolucci, Steve Gotreu, Jane Eshbaugh, Carly Hill, and original furniture by Bob McCarthy and an inlaid bar by Tom Lowry, which all contribute to the lodge’s distinctive personality. On the ground level, you will find an expanded McCarty’s Café, a much larger High Performance and Rental Shop, the Adult Snowsports School desk, two roomy seasonal locker rooms and a spacious daily locker room with credit/debitcard swipe locks. While this may sound strange, be sure to make a pit stop in the bathrooms – they’re gorgeous! Beginning Saturday, Dec. 1, McCarty’s Café will open at 7 a.m. daily and will close mid- to late-afternoon, between 2–5 p.m. for the next week, depending on guest traffic. You can also check out the High Performance (tuning) and Rental Shop from 8 a.m.–3 p.m., with hours also dependent on traffic. The new 66,000-square-foot building replaces the 50-yearold Clubhouse Chalet and serves as the base lodge during the ski season and as a year round conference center. The lodge contains a food service area, two bars, a coffee shop, equipment rental and repair shops, the Adult Snowsports School desk, locker rooms and day care, as well as modular reception and conference rooms. The main and top levels of the lodge are set to open Dec. 15. On the main level, you’ll find See HV Opening Day page 4
Festive Weekend Atmosphere Inside and Out Good Deeds at Irish Christmas Celebration Take a Christmas Stroll through Ellicottville Cookies for Donations
By Eva Potter
Tonight and Saturday, Dec. 1, the streets and establishments of Ellicottville will be filled with music, good cheer, helping hands and sweet treats. Even though there are many holiday celebrations this weekend, you can easily squeeze them in, so come and experience a unique celebration of old-fashioned events in the village.
Tonight, Nov. 30, the annual Irish Christmas fundraiser takes place at the Gin Mill beginning at 6 p.m. The true spirit of the season shines through at this worthwhile event hosted by the Ellicottville Rotary Club for the eighth year. You’re sure to have a great evening, which will benefit families who need
a little help this time of year, with music and lighthearted entertainment by local Rotarian and goodwill ambassador Bob McCarthy. This year the oneman Irish band Seanachi will keep the Gin Mill hopping with old Irish holiday favorites. You can look forward to auction items ranging from handcrafted items from Ireland, Irish whiskey, as well as hotel and ski packages. Save room for dessert because you’ll want to be the highest bidder for at least one of the pies at the much-anticipated pie auction. Local bakers take great pride in perfecting their favorite recipes to raise money for this event. Attendees can also make a monetary donation or bring a gift to benefit Family Support for Ellicottville and Santa’s Workshop, where financially handicapped families can choose gifts for each other and take home fixings for a Christmas dinner. Saturday brings another family holiday tradition – the Christmas Stroll. Slow your See Christmas, Cookies page 8
Two New Cycling Events Coming to Ellicottville
By Eva Potter
The Ellicottville cycling scene is expanding with two new events being organized for this spring. Whether you’re a mountain biker or road cyclist, these races and fun events will cater to a wide range of abilities. Rick and Glenda Jackson, owners of the Ilex Inn, are not amateurs when it comes to organizing cycling events. Before moving to Ellicottville from Cocoa Beach, Fla., the couple had organized a number
of charity rides, fundraisers and started a cycling club. Rick has ridden in two “century” (100mile) rides. Since purchasing the Ilex Inn, the Jacksons have met many interesting people from all over the world including many cycling enthusiasts and want promote cycling in the area. “I’ve wanted to do (a cycling event) since I came back here, because I think it’s a great place for cycling. Some of the roads need a little work, but we’ll pick the better roads to do
the course. It was a lot of fun doing it down in Florida and watching people achieve their goals,” said Rick, explaining the Ellicottville cycling event would include road and trail portions with optional lengths. Working together, the Jacksons will design road courses while Dennis Baldwin, owner of the Ellicottville Bike Shop, will develop the mountain bike portion. The Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce has offered to help See New Cycling Events page 6
Kwik Fill/Red Apple to Open Next Week
By Jann Wiswall
Store shelves are being stocked, staff is being trained and other preparations are being made for the opening next week of Ellicottville’s new Kwik Fill/Red Apple location at the corner of Rout 219 and Mill Street. Frank Bartela, regional manager of retail marketing for United Refining Company of Pennsylvania, indicated the business is scheduled to open Dec. 5 or 6. The new location is twice as large as the old location across See Kwik Fill page 6