Ring In The New Year E’ville Style

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:36:25 -0800

Annual Torch Light Parade a Tradition at Holiday Valley

BY IAN BIGGS

The early season snow has been a great help to area businesses, and Christmas week should prove to be a fun packed weekend for all. Holiday Valley expects to have all 56 slopes in operation by Christmas weekend (weather permitting). Its New Year’s Eve celebrations include the Annual Torch-Light Parade at 11:30pm. According to Jane Eshbaugh from Holiday Valley, “Anyone wishing to participate in the parade should meet at the bottom of Cindy’s Run at around 10:30pm.” Fireworks commence at 11:45pm continuing till midnight. Live music from 9pm-1am in the Main Clubhouse. Additionally, their Christmas Camp will run from December 27-31. This five-day camp runs daily and is for Masters, Jr. Team Race, Freestyle and Snowboarders interested in improving their skills. Contact Holiday Valley at 699-2345 for more details and pricing.
HoliMont will be open to members and their guests from the 25th to the 31st of December, before and after which the general public is welcome Monday through Fridays. They will be having a member’s New Year’s Eve Dinner, phone 699-2320 for more information.
Area restaurants are also gearing up for the New Year. Some of the local favorites include The Barn Restaurant (699-4600), which will have New Year’s festivities continuing throughout the evening. Their special New Year’s Eve menu includes Surf and Turf, and for those who want a taste of luxury while being a little more relaxed, The Barn is offering a Kobe Beef Burger. Silver Fox will be open for New Year’s, no reservations required and they will be serving off their regular menu. The Birdwalk (699-2749) will run a shortened New Year’s menu but with some fantastic items such as crab legs and prime rib, and crab stuffed sole to name just a few. They are taking reservations for any size party and will be open from 4pm until closing. Tips Up Café (699-2136) will also have special New Year’s items. These are just a few of Ellicottville’s fine restaurants.
The area bars are also planning on getting in on the New Year’s Eve action as well. Some of the bars such as Balloons Restaurant and Nightclub will have bands. Balloons will be open until 4am with Mo’ Porter playing from 5-9pm and a DJ thereafter. Double Diamond has one of the best bands in the area with The Tripper Harrison Band. Cadillac Jack’s (699-5161) famous apres-ski will be joining in the festivities and The Ellicottville Depot will be serving dinner on New Year’s till 8pm, and then will have a private party and will open to the public after midnight. Madigan’s will be playing tunes and serving until 4am. According to Maribeth Rick, owner, with her husband Ed, of the The Gin Mill, “The Gin Mill will head into the New Year with high octane rock-a-billy band The Headers from 9pm-1am.” New Year’s will prove to be a good time for all!
Ellicottville heads into 2009 with high hopes despite the economic downturn. “Ellicottville has had a good year,” according to Village of Ellicottville Mayor Charles Coolidge. “This year’s Fall Fest was probably the busiest one yet,” according to the Mayor. He went on to say that “Mardi Gras and Oldies weekend were also good weekends for the village and town.” The Gazebo series was another success and we “motored along” through the downturn. Mayor Coolidge says he is optimistic about the upcoming year, with various improvements in the works for the village and town. “Possible new water tanks in the village and work on the sewer system” are some of the plans for 2009. Area businesses haven’t seen much in the way of a drop in business. Regarding the recession, “It started a year ago and no one told us” said Maribeth of The Gin Mill. She added that she was “worried with the gas prices,” but the Gin Mill ended up having a “successful year.”
Avis King of Earth Arts also said that “2008 had been good” and was happy and optimistic about 2009. Ellicottville has weathered the storm and looks forward to the storms, albeit snow filled, of 2009.
Pictured: Participants of last year’s annual torchlight parade at Holiday Valley.

Year In Review: Looking Back on 2008

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:36:16 -0800

Highlights in Ellicottville and Surrounding Areas Not Soon to Be Forgotten

COMPILED BY BRENDA PERKS

As we say goodbye to 2008, we reflect on the events and those involved that made this year so memorable here in Ellicottville and the surrounding areas.
January: The anticipated start of the year was full of celebration for Holiday Valley Resort. Over the past five decades, Holiday Valley has grown to heights that the members of the Ellicottville Ski Club never imagined when it opened for business on that long ago day back in 1958. Celebrating its Golden Anniversary on January 7, 2008, Holiday Valley hosted a plethora of events, and even commemorated the milestone by painting the 50th chair on each lift gold. / Glen Plake, pioneer of extreme skiing, and his wife, Kimberly, made a visit to HV as part of their ‘Down Home Tour,’ stopping at resorts across the country to sign autographs, hand out posters and, of course, ski. / Red Bull brought the ‘Red Bull Rhythm Section’ event to the 42/78 Terrain Park. The first of its kind and labeled as ‘one of the most creative competitions ever held at Holiday Valley,’ the event featured a 16-element course (including a stage dive drop-in, jumps, rails, boxes, barrels, spines and a wall ride) and revolved entirely around rock’n roll music. The event received much acclaim. / Warren Tanner, former Holiday Valley Ski Team member and current member of the Canadian Ski Team, placed 1st at the World Cup in Lake Placid.
February: ‘Rise to the Challenge,’ a fundraiser race held each year at HoliMont, once again exceeded expectations and greatly benefitted the ski area’s Phoenix Adaptive Ski Program, which offers ski instruction and guidance to children with special needs. / The Ellicottville Girl Scouts put their cookie sales towards a good cause. They sold over 4,000 boxes to send to soldiers overseas. / A snowmobile dice run and chicken barbecue, which started in Cattaraugus and traveled a 140-mile route throughout Cattaraugus County, kicked off the festivities for the county’s year-long bicentennial celebration.
March: County officials held the official Opening Ceremony for the county’s bicentennial on March 11 where it all began – in Ellicottville, at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Following Town Supervisor John Burrell’s speech commemorating the county’s birthday, a ceremonial ringing of St. John’s Bell (believed to be the oldest operating bell in the U.S.) took place outside the church. The ceremony also featured a walking tour of the Ellicottville Museum given by guides in period costume, and the county’s bicentennial history book, which features 190 pages of information on the towns and cities of Cattaraugus County, was unveiled. / The Memorial Library of Little Valley was awarded $75,000 to help finance the construction of a 1,872 sq. ft. addition and make other much-needed renovations to their current facility. The grant, a part of the 2007-’08 state budget which also awarded three other libraries across the state, was provided in an effort to renovate and upgrade weakening infrastructure found throughout the state’s public libraries. The Little Valley Memorial library recently completed their improvement projects. / The appearance of the Blues Brothers in Salamanca on March 14 marked the grand opening of the Seneca Allegany Events Center. Formerly the temporary casino, the building underwent a $40 million conversion project into a new showcase for premium concerts and sporting events. Since its opening, the Seneca Allegany Events Center has featured numerous big acts and continues to do so with a live concert by Gregg Allman on Jan. 10, 2009.
April: St. Bonaventure University kicked off its 150th anniversary celebration. As part of the festivities, the university paid tribute to a special part of its humble beginnings – Ellicottville. / The Tamarack Club, a $33 million four-star condominium project located adjacent to Holiday Valley’s Clubhouse Chalet, broke ground, and is scheduled to be completed for the 2009-’10 ski season. / Two local real estate companies, Century 21 Town & Country and Hunt Real Estate ERA, merged under parent company Realogy. The newly expanded business would soon become known as ERA Vacation Properties, owned by Bill Soffel.
May: Thanks to funding received from a state education grant, a new playground was installed on the grounds of Ellicottville Central School. Teachers, parents, friends, students and many other volunteer community members assembled the new playground, which replaced the previously existing 20-year-old playground. / ECS Superintendent Patricia Haynes announced her retirement from the Ellicottville school system at the academic year’s end, to be replaced by Olean Superintendant Mark Ward. / Morningside Estates, the townhouse development located on Route 242 East, hosted their ‘Big Reveal,’ celebrating the completion of their first unit opened for viewing by the public.
June: The Double Black Diamond golf course at Holiday Valley officially opened for play. Designed by golf course architect Paul Albanese, the reconstruction project was phased over several years to allow the course to be playable throughout the renovation. / The American Cancer Society hosted their annual ‘Relay for Life’ event in Ellicottville. Nineteen teams together raised over $17,000 for the cause. / Following the success of the first ‘Women’s Weekend in Ellicottville,’ the event returned for a second year, boasting three days filled with activities designed to “honor, educate and celebrate being a woman.”
July: Summer Festival of the Arts featured the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performing the music of Harry Potter, and headliner Little River Band live on the slopes of Holiday Valley. The July 4th weekend celebration also brought back the return of the Ellicottville Championship Rodeo. / Another anticipated summer event, the Seneca Allegany Veterans Pow Wow, offered the community a chance to discover and enjoy the rich culture and heritage of the Seneca Nation and all tribes gathered in Salamanca. / A major commercial development for the City of Salamanca was announced at the monthly meeting of the Salamanca Common Council. The city gave permission for Ross Wilson & Associates to build a four-season water park resort and hotel complex on a tract of city-owned property located along State Park Avenue and bordering Interstate 86.
August: The Bicentennial Wagon Trail and Stagecoach Run, highlighting the county’s bicentennial celebration, kicked off a two-week journey across Cattaraugus County, starting in Ellicottville and ending in Little Valley. / Ellicottville played host for the first time to the International Bowhunting Championships, which attracted over 2,000 contestants and their families from over 20 countries to compete for the world championships and $200,000 in cash prizes, on a course spanning across Holiday Valley and HoliMont. / Thousands of people – and their bikes – filled Olean’s Bradner Stadium for the 6th annual ‘Rally in the Valley’ event. The Rally welcomed more than 863 dice run participants and benefitted a host of community charities.
September: St. Bonaventure dedicated the $14.6 million William F. Walsh Science Center, capping a period of dramatic physical transformation at the 150-year-old university. The 46,500 sq. ft. center houses state-of-the-art computer science, laboratory and classroom space, biology labs, organic and general chemistry labs, a Natural World lab, a 150-seat indoor amphitheater, and faculty offices integrated with lab space for better student-teacher accessibility. / Large sponsors ensured a successful Falling Leaves Festival in Salamanca. The festival brought back popular traditions of the past such as numerous food, arts and crafts concessions, a kid’s amusement zone, several live musical performances, a car show, a Seneca Nation Boxing competition and much more. The Salamanca Historical Society complimented the festival this year with several events in celebration of Cattaraugus County’s bicentennial, including a huge Grand Parade.
October: The 2nd annual ‘Starz for Youth’ Ball, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ellicottville and held at Holiday Valley Resort, again honored local philanthropist Michael Kerns, Sr. and raised money for the Rotary Club Foundation for Youth and the Memorial Library Youth Center. Over 200 guests attended the event, which spotlighted many live musical youth performances. / Sprague Development, purchasers of the old Peak Performance building at 38 Washington Street, finalized architectural plans and began re-construction at the site. Once completed, the building will house retail space and a second story. What was rumored that a Tim Horton’s would assume space in the new building was proved false as explained by the Village Board that the location is zoned business office and retail space and not as restaurant space. / The boards of directors of Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean General Hospital signed a non-binding letter of intent to integrate the two not-for-profit organizations under a new parent company. This action was “a major first step toward creating a strong vibrant regional healthcare system to serve Northwestern Pa. and Southwestern NY.”
November: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church dedicated a new Worship and Office addition to their existing church on Route 219 in E’ville. / Holiday Valley Resort opened its slopes a week earlier than planned, on Nov. 20, thanks in large part to the ample snowfall Mother Nature provided, coupled with low temps and the Valley’s snowmaking team. It was the third earliest opening date in Holiday Valley’s history. / Ellicottville played host to its first ever village rail jam titled, ‘Downtown Showdown.’ The invite-only contest drew skiers and snowboarders from as far as 6 hours away to compete for cash prizes within the heart of the village. Spectators were treated to exciting competition on boxes and rails set up in the parking lot behind Balloons. The event was praised as a success.
December: Ellicottville’s Christmas Stroll offered an old-fashioned holiday experience, complete with Santa, rein”dogs” and more, and concluded with the always-anticipated Living Nativity that Ellicottville is so well known for. / Local leprechaun Bob McCarthy and his host of Christmas Elves organized a benefit at the Gin Mill to provide some holiday cheer to the children of Cattaraugus County. ‘An Irish Christmas’ invited community members to donate toys, participate in raffles and auctions, and join in the spirit of giving, with all items gathered and distributed by Cattaraugus Community Action.
Thank you 2008, for bringing many exciting events and happenings to our area! Here’s to the coming of many more memories sure to be made in the New Year! Cheers!
Pictured: Celebrating their Golden Anniversary on January 7, 2008, Holiday Valley hosted a plethora of events, and even commemorated the milestone by painting the 50th chair on each lift gold. Photo/Bob Knab

Looking Ahead To 2009

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:36:07 -0800

New Year Has Plenty of Activities Scheduled for Ellicottville

BY SCOTT EDDY

The holiday season is quickly wrapping up and soon the calendar will change over to 2009. With the New Year come several events to bring another year of excitement and fun to Ellicottville.
Festivities begin with a tip of the hat to our friends north of the border with Canadian Friendship Week planned for Jan. 5-9. During the week, Holiday Valley will offer lift tickets and tubing at par with Canadian cash to entice northern skiers and riders to hit the Ellicottville slopes.
The Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce follows up Canadian Friendship Week with its Winter Rhythm and Blues Festival January 9-10. The sounds of rhythm and blues will sound from over a dozen bars and restaurants throughout the Village during the weekend, such as The Ellicottville Brewing Company, The Depot, Balloons, Cadillac Jack’s, Double Diamond, Gin Mill and Madigan’s. Musicians from around the region will take the stage for up to 15 performances during the two-day event, highlighted by the Patti Parks Band, a seven-piece Blues band from the Buffalo area and 2006 winners of the Memphis Bound blues competition celebrating the best blues bands in Western New York, and The Mick Hayes Band, five-time award winners at the 2008 Buffalo Music Awards.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a new year in Ellicottville without plans for contests to highlight the skills of area skiers and boarders. The Red Bull Buttercup takes place at Holiday Valley Feb. 21. This snowboarding contest series makes eight stops on the East Coast from Maine to Pennsylvania. Boarders will take to the slopes under the lights on a unique feature made especially for the Buttercup. The competition will split riders into pro and amateur divisions with amateurs competing for a product from Rome SDS, Oakley and Red Bull. Pros, meanwhile, will compete for cash and a spot in the finals Feb. 28 at Mount Snow, Vt. where the champion receives a check for $1,000 and a trip to Windell’s or Woodward.
Although the heat of summer seems a lifetime away, August brings the 2009 IBO World Bowhunting Championships to Ellicottville from Aug. 13-16 at Holiday Valley. Thousands of archers will converge on the Village for this event sanctioned by the International Bowhunting Organization to vie for the world championship and over $200,000 in cash and prizes. The IBO stages competitions around the country with qualifying events for the World Championships planned throughout the spring in locations such as Alabama, Florida and Indiana. The Championship, billed as “The Big League of the Bow World,” is open to all archers and includes a “Future Bowhunters” division for young entrants.
These events highlight a packed schedule of fun and entertainment for all ages in the upcoming year in Ellicottville. For more information, visit the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce website at www.ellicottvilleny.com.
Pictured: The Red Bull Rhythm Section hosted in 2008 at Holiday Valley. Red Bull and Holiday Valley will team up again in 2009 to bring the Red Bull Buttercup.

Holiday Sales In Ellicottville

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:20:59 -0800

Early Snow Helps E’ville Ski Industry Avoid Recession Effects

BY SCOTT EDDY

With a sagging economy causing job cuts and business closings across the country, it seems as though Scrooge stands in charge this holiday season.
While the effects have not gone unnoticed in Ellicottville, local businesses for the most part still have reason to be merry this Christmas, however. Mother Nature has had a hand in the early season success of the area’s ski industry. Early snows have brought a rush of customers to Ellicottville’s ski shops and slopes.
“My sales are up, but also we have had early snow,” Greg Dekdebrun said from Dekdebrun Ski Shop this week. “It is tough to compare this year to previous years with the early snow.”
Fellow Ski Shop owner Mike Timkey of The Boardroom also remains optimistic and has yet to see the economy adversely affect the ski industry thus far.
“I actually haven’t noticed any kind of change,” Timkey said. “I’m quite surprised.”
Jane Eshbaugh, marketing director at Holiday Valley, has also seen an increase in business thus far in 2008.
“To this point it [the economy] has had a good effect on our resort and a lot of local resorts because people want to go out and have some fun and a little recreation but they want to stay closer to home,” she said. “Our sales have been very good as far as season passes and reservations.”
Holiday Valley plans to have its usual Christmas bump in business, thanks in part to its annual Christmas Camps. The camps, which are held for freestyle/freeride, snowboarding and race groups, run from Dec. 27-31. Master’s groups for riders 18 and over are also offered. The camps are open both to skiers and riders who are already members of teams at the resort as well as the general public. The five-day training session for skiers and riders with coaches from the Valley’s Mountain Sports Center has been a strong draw to the resort, Eshbaugh said.
A New Year’s Eve celebration with live band, torchlight parade and fireworks show will also help Holiday Valley ring in the new year with what officials hope is strong business into 2009.
While the bump for Christmas sales may veil the effects of a country sinking into recession, even local business owners currently experiencing good sales are hesitant at the prospect of the turn of the calendar.
“I think it will be a telling factor for me when we get after the first of the year once we get back into our ‘normal mode’,” Dekdebrun said.
Other area businesses have been hit hard already. Arlene Solly of Kazoo II said the decrease in shoppers is undeniable.
“There are fewer people and less spending,” Solly said. “People are holding back, just like anywhere. We should be spiking right now. When you’re in a true recession the way we are, anyone who says they’re not in it is kind of fooling you. Everyone I talk to, everyone’s experiencing it.”
Eshbaugh said Holiday Valley hopes to have “the entire area” open to capitalize on increased Christmas traffic to the slopes, weather permitting.
“It is snowing and we are making snow, so that’s a good sign,” she said.
Meanwhile, store owners such as Dekdebrun have hope this Christmas season, despite the bleak picture seen by many coast to coast.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that things aren’t as bad as how the media is making it out to be,” he said.
Pictured: Holiday Valley’s Christmas Camp. Photo/Craig Melvin

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Ring In The New Year E’ville Style

Year In Review: Looking Back on 2008

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