Permit delays hurt region

June 27,2013

Rutland Herald

 

After reading the article concerning the delayed permit for the Killington ski village in the June 19 issue of the Rutland Herald, I am disheartened to see an opportunity well wasted. I am a junior in high school and dream to one day have a home in Vermont. Many of the young adults in my generation are ready to graduate high school and leave Vermont as fast as possible. The open door for job opportunities is closing at a rapid pace, as many of the small businesses that make up the towns of Rutland, Killington and Mendon are out of business or soon to get there. These hiccups that keep occurring are weakening the community that we live in, and unless something is done it will be hard to rebuild.

Being an avid skier I have been privileged enough to travel to many parts of Vermont to ski. After being to two of the well-known areas like Stowe and Stratton, you can see how their villages have such an attraction. For someone knowing a lot about the history and construction of Killington — my grandfather Joe Sargent was one of the founders — it concerns me that the empire, which Pres Smith and he built, does not have the draw it used to. Killington, known for its great terrain, abundance of trails, and the Burton Stash, is losing its competitive appeal compared to other big mountains in Vermont, such as Jay Peak, Stowe, and Stratton.

The continued delay in the permit process is depressing to see because it is such a large opportunity wasted. The village would offer so much more than just housing; it would offer job opportunities. With jobs being as scarce as ever, the opening of shops, restaurants, and hotels would create jobs and revenue, as well as an appeal that would compete with the other big mountains. The two old lodges that rest at the bottom of Ramshead and Snowshed are the original lodges. It is hard to find such a big ski area with lodges as old as these. The town of Killington is small; it leaves guests nowhere to explore and limited places to shop. I wish to see the delays and shenanigans of the permit process stop, so opportunities for this struggling community and my generation can open.

ABIGAIL JONES
Mendon