New General Manager
Dr. Siomonn Pulla, Chair of the Nelson Nordic Ski Club (NNSC) is pleased to announce the hiring of John Bowden as the club’s new General Manager. The NNSC has been a community fixture for over 40 years, providing locals and visitors to Nelson with over 30km of groomed trails for skate and classic skiing just 10 minutes from the city centre. With over 1000 annual members and 2500 day users, it is one of the largest recreational organizations in the West Kootenays.
Pulla notes,“for more than four decades, the Nelson Nordic Ski Club has connected our community through recreation, wellness, and a shared love of winter. It is a place where children discover nordic skiing for the first time, families create traditions, athletes train, and volunteers work together to make something truly special. We are thrilled to welcome John Bowden as our new General Manager. His leadership, collaborative approach, and commitment to community will help ensure the club continues to thrive while honouring the remarkable legacy built by those who came before him.”
John served on the board for a year and half prior to stepping in as interim GM this spring. He has a background in non-profit management, adventure tourism entrepreneurship and working in various capacities with local partners. He will oversee the day to day operations of the club and support a passionate team of staff and volunteers.
“I’m looking forward to building on the great work by previous GM’s, Board members, staff and volunteers. This club is such a strong part of our community; the trails and programs we have today are thanks to the countless contributions from members and key stakeholders over many decades. I hope to keep that momentum going and be a trusted steward of the club during my tenure.”
“In large part due to the efforts of key volunteers and the previous GM, we’ve been able to secure enough funding to proceed with critical trail enhancements this summer. The club is actively working on trail expansion possibilities, long term infrastructure upgrades, and increasing programming and events to provide more memorable nordic ski experiences this season and beyond.”
Unlike many other nordic clubs in British Columbia that operate on crown land, the NNSC relies on the generosity of multiple landowners to provide access to trails and buildings. The club has trails on both sides of the highway near the turnoff for Whitewater Ski Resort (Apex to the west, Busk to the east). The club is indebted to the Filippo family (Apex), Rayne family (Apex), Regional District of Central Kootenay & Ministry of Transportation (Apex & Busk) Love family (Busk) and Scouts Canada (Busk) for the use of their private land.
A cornerstone of NNSC’s activities is the School Outreach Program. It welcomes children from many of our nearby primary schools to discover nordic skiing each season. A dedicated team of instructors teach the fundamentals of classic cross country skiing in a fun and memorable way. Youth and adult lessons are also available during the season, in addition to popular events such as the Tour de Soup and Moonlight Skis. 26/27 early bird season memberships will be available soon, followed by the club’s annual general meeting, where all members and users are invited to attend.
Members are encouraged to contribute to the club in various volunteer capacities, ranging from board positions to youth instructors, pre-season brushing to welcoming guests at our kiosks. Feedback and suggestions are also welcome. John can be reached at [email protected].