Marble Mountain resort on schedule for Boxing Day opening

The Marble Mountain Ski Resort is on track to open on Boxing Day, despite a lightning strike and a fire that destroyed the main chair lift in August.

The entire mechanism, including the chairs, cables and terminal had to be replaced.

You know, 10, 15, 25 years from now and it'll be a little bit of history for Marble Mountain — where that name came from, why that name was picked.- Marble Mountain Ski Resort Manager Chris Beckett

Marble Mountain general manager Chris Beckett told CBC News in September he estimated total damage costs would be "in the millions." 

Beckett said the new lift should be running by mid-January.

Last month, the resort's managers chose the name for the lift. The choices were the Lightning Express, the Thunder Snow Express and the lift's old name, Governor's Express.

Lightning Express was the ultimate winner.

Beckett said the lift is aptly named.

"You know, 10, 15, 25 years from now and it'll be a little bit of history for Marble Mountain — where that name came from, why that name was picked," said Beckett.

"And it will be a bit of a reflection on the incident that happened in August, and also for the fact that it is the fastest chair lift in Atlantic Canada — and lightning travels pretty fast."