New college aims to attract students to B.C. Rocky Mountain village

A small village in B.C.'s Rocky Mountains is hoping to use its natural landscape to attract people from around the world to study there — and maybe even set down roots.

Valemount, about 80 kilometres due west of Jasper, Alta. used to host ecotourism and outdoor recreation courses through the Prince George-based College of New Caledonia. 

But those classes stopped in 2011, and locals say there was an instant impact.

"We noticed almost immediately," said Wendy Dyson, a Valemount resident who taught at the college. "Local restaurants cut back on their hours... they just couldn't get enough staff."

She said in a community of little more than 1,000 people, a regular influx of students was a boon — helping staff local businesses and bringing their own ideas and backgrounds into the mix.

"It brought a real vibrancy to the community," she said.

Although Valemount has other projects on the go to restore that vibrancy — most notably the construction of a year-round ski resort — Dyson believes the best way to showcase the region is through outdoor education.

To that end, she has partnered with other residents to form Valemount College, a private post-secondary institution aimed at showcasing the region to students and possible future residents.

Spring workshops

The college is still having its curriculum approved by the Ministry of Advanced Education, but the Easter long weekend marks the first run of the group's educational workshop series.

On Sunday and Monday, students in the "Springtime in the Rockies" workshop will hike the mountains and take a helicopter tour in order to learn about identifying and photographing wildlife in the region.

In April, "Improv in the Mountains" will combine outdoor adventure with improvisational theatre.

The packages are designed to raise money and awareness for the college's more fully fledged classes, which Dyson hopes will be up and running by September.

She said the college plans to capitalize on two things: its mountain location, and the small size of both the village and the classes, which are capped at between 16 and 20 students.

She said those were the reasons that attracted the students attending the College of New Caledonia.

"Lots of the people who came here were from small communities throughout Canada and said they were more comfortable," she said.

"And the idea of coming and studying in the Rocky Mountains really appealed to them, as well."

From there, she said, it was hoped at least a few people would decide to set down more permanent roots.

"Once they're here, they tend to love it," she said.

With files from Nicole Oud.