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By Jim Coggins
DEVELOPER Vic Bates tried for years to get his hands on the property, but he
just couldn’t get the deal to go through. By the time he finally did acquire it some 10
years ago, he told BCCN, he looked at it with “a new perspective,” and the development went in a rather different direction.
The 160-acre property, midway between Revelstoke and Sicamous (and midway
between Calgary and the Okanagan) is what Bates considers “a unique piece of property, a national treasure.” It contains the Crazy Creek Waterfall, flowing down into the Eagle River along
the Trans-Canada Highway. It also contains the historic railroad and sawmill
townsite of Taft, just three kilometres east of Craigellachie, where the last
spike of the CPR railroad was driven in 1885.
The property is an ideal location for a mountain resort. What changed is that
Bates, who had been “wandering pretty far from the Lord through the majority of my life,” had “turned my life over to the Lord.”
Instead of a resort that would make Bates wealthy, Crazy Creek is now being
developed as a place that will “proclaim the Word and honour the presence of God.” Its mission statement envisions it as “a light in the wilderness of today’s hectic world, welcoming people in Jesus’ name”; and “a place of tranquility in the midst of God’s creation, that pulls on the hearts of the lost and gives rest and peace to the
saved.”
A boardwalk along the waterfalls and a suspension bridge over the creek were
among the first things Bates developed.
This spring, three hot pools have been added, as well as the first sites of what
will eventually be a multi-site RV park and campground. But that is just the
beginning.
Planned additions include horseback and snowmobile trails, walking trails,
swimming pools, a water slide, volleyball courts, bumper boats, a fruit stand,
cabins, a hotel, a restaurant, an RV dealership, historical displays, a tourist
information centre and a daycare. In short, it will become “a full-service, family-oriented, four-season, destination resort.”
The difference is that a Christian theme will pervade the site. There are
already signs with Bible verses, and thousands of tracts have been given out.
Books and other items with a Christian message are for sale in the gift shop.
There will even be a mini-golf course built around Bible stories.
It is also hoped the High Mountain Patio, now staffed by former missionaries
Rick and Adela Bergen, can be developed into a Christian retreat centre.
On Sundays, there is free admission to the suspension bridge and boardwalk. A
sign explains that the purpose of Crazy Creek is to honour God. It also reminds
visitors that many people in the world lack clean water, and asks for donations
to Samaritan’s Purse for Third World water projects.
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Enough money has been raised to provide water filters to some 1,300 homes.
Donations are also collected for Bible literacy. Christian musicians are
onsite, and a church service will be held July 1, the resort’s anniversary celebration day.
Ownership of the resort has been lodged with the Crazy Creek Waterfalls Trust.
Once the infrastructure is in place, Bates expects the resort could be “extremely profitable.” Money will also come from electricity generated by a dam, originally
constructed above the waterfall to power a sawmill.
According to the terms of the trust, income will be divided into five equal
parts. One portion will go to the Bates family.The remainder will be divided
among Broadview Evangelical Free Church and King’s Christian School, both in Salmon Arm; Trinity Western University in Langley;
and the Crazy Creek Christian Outreach Society. The society will operate the
retreat centre and other initiatives at the site.
According to Bates, this project is designed for “the very long term.” While other developments may be sold to new owners, it is envisaged that this
site will remain under the trust for at least 100 years. Therefore, Bates said,
everything has been built of the very best materials so that they will last a
long time with very low maintenance.
In Bates’ words, what started as a simple development project has become “something much more important.”
Contact: crazycreekresort.com or 250-836-2838.
June 2009
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