ABOVE: A plan to reinvest profit into the operation set up Poley to be able reconstruct its base lodge after the structure was destroyed in a fire.
ABOVE: A 2022 survey of season pass holders has helped guide investment decisions at Poley Mountain, such as a deeper commitment to mountain biking.
nificant investments in lifts and snow- making—the “heart and lungs” of the operation, says president and board chair Michael MacNeil. The ski area’s strategic plan will guide how that unfolds. “You can grow a business based on summer operations and be sustainable. However, your core business of skiing also needs to be reinvested in and sup- ported,” adds Hare.
The Treetop Adventure Course, says Thody, is Boler’s biggest summer contrib- utor, followed by F&B. “Boler has become a great neighborhood hang-out.” Poley Mountain Located in the (Bay of) Fundy region in southern New Brunswick, Poley is a model community ski hill: 32 trails, 660 feet of vertical, and a steadfast group of local owners. In 1999, the area was on the verge of closing when a group of 40 local share- holders stepped in to preserve it. They established a simple but powerful model: operate like a virtual not-for-profit, rein- vest every dollar earned, and never stop evolving. Reinvestment has focused on building a solid foundation for the future, including snowmaking system upgrades, a new conveyor-served begin- ner area, and a reconstructed base lodge after the original was destroyed in a fire. Opportunity in summer. The own- ers have also initiated summer opera- tions to harness the opportunity afforded by its proximity to the Bay of Fundy and within the UNESCO Fundy Biosphere Region, establishing lift-served moun- tain biking, a small RV park, and pro- moting the new lodge as a wedding and events venue. “The plan was built with care, which has allowed us to act with confidence,” says Hare. Over the past 25 years, Poley has seen 400 percent growth in overall reve- nue. From 2021 to 2025, revenue grew 35 percent. And last season, operating prof- it margin exceeded the business plan by almost 10 percent. Poley’s next chapter foresees sig-
in visitation, revenue, and operational performance as a result of following the key strategic business plan fundamen- tals. And both use their plans as a guide to decisions about future investments. Boler Mountain Boler Mountain, located in the middle of an affluent neighborhood, is very lit- erally a community ski hill. The ski area was established by a community-led nonprofit in 1949 as the London Ski Club (renamed in 2010), and for many years focused primarily on winter operations. In 2012, Boler initiated a 15-year planning process to explore its potential as a year-round community recreational resource. Having dipped its toe into sum- mer, offering a cross-country mountain bike trail network and successful kids’ mountain bike camp, the leadership team hoped to expand its summer busi- ness while respecting the core winter operation. Multi-season transformation. The planning has paid off. Today, Boler is thriving, offering multi-season, multi-generational outdoor recreation to London residents. “We now have a vibrant summer operation that contributes about 30 per- cent of total revenue,” says director of operations Marty Thody. “We offer yoga five nights a week, run a boot camp four nights a week, and Zumba classes, too. Our volleyball league plays three nights a week, and mountain biking remains steady.”
STRATEGIC PLANNING: THE FUNDAMENTALS
There are several fundamental elements of a good strategic business plan: data analysis, incremental development, budgeting for annual maintenance, and knowing your audience. Fundamental #1: Collect and Use Your Data Both the Boler and Poley leadership teams are strong advocates of collecting and using data to drive decision-making. Whether improving efficiency, manag- ing risk, or capitalizing on growth oppor- tunities, having the right numbers—and the ability to measure what matters—is crucial to making informed decisions. Accessible and useful. Poley has spent four years cleaning up its financial reporting to facilitate faster, data-backed decision-making. As part of this, it recently installed RFID gates to accurate- ly track skier visits (and reduce instances of unpaid access). Hare says he appreci- ates the ability to measure the things that matter and to know where strengths and weaknesses lie. He uses this data to capitalize on opportunities. “Department-level accountability has become the new norm,” he adds. »
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