Canyon Ski Area Upgrades and AEDARSA Submissions

Ongoing | Canyon Ski Resort and Recreation Area, Red Deer, AB

Canyon Ski Area is a popular year-round recreation destination located just outside of Red Deer, Alberta. Nestled in the Red Deer River Valley, the ski area offers a range of activities and facilities for all ages and skill levels. 

Conveyor Upgrades and AEDARSA Submission

In 2019, Canyon built a new rope tow to serve their summer tubing area. After a successful first year, Canyon wanted to upgrade to a passenger conveyor to improve the rider experience. A new conveyor was purchased from Sunkid, and McElhanney was engaged to provide the engineering for the required Alberta Elevating Devices and Amusement Rides Safety Association (AEDARSA) review and submissions.

T-Bar Upgrades

The 2020/2021 winter season revealed that Canyon’s Red T-bar required attention. The T-bar had been in use since 1964, and the T-bar’s ring gear and pinion were worn and needed replacement. Initial investigations by Canyon to replace the ring gear indicated that a significant investment would be required; the type of drive construction present was no longer common, and it also required significant ongoing maintenance to ensure its longevity. The open gear system also produced a lot of noise. To increase long-term reliability of the new system, Canyon requested a redesign of the driveline using readily available, modern components.

In 2023, McElhanney was engaged to oversee electrical control system updates and remove the torque converter on Canyon’s Blue T-Bar. During maintenance later that year, operators discovered that the rope on the Blue T-Bar was causing wear on the tension bullwheel. As a result, the bullwheel needed to be replaced. Further investigation revealed that two of the Blue T-Bar towers needed realignment as well. McElhanney was engaged to complete the engineering and authority submissions.

Chairlifts Upgrade

McElhanney also provided Canyon with engineering for chairlift upgrades in 2023 and 2024 for the triple and double chairs. Canyon requested that McElhanney oversee the install of a new control system and designed new motor mounts, new evacuation drive, and a new service brake on the double chair.

In a continuation of the ongoing relationship between McElhanney and Canyon Ski Area, McElhanney navigated Canyon Ski Area’s AEDARSA submissions and engineering requirements by making Canyon’s challenge our own.

McElhanney provided: