Ski Martock set to change ownership as sale to Cape Smokey group nears completion

As Ski Martock nears its 60th anniversary later this year, a new ownership team is set to take over the popular ski hill near Windsor, N.S. 

Martin Kejval, CEO of Cape Smokey Holding Ltd., the group that has owned and operated the Cape Smokey ski hill in Ingonish Beach since 2019, said Thursday that his company has signed a tentative purchase and sale agreement to acquire Ski Martock from longtime owners Heather and Jim Boylan.

Kejval said talks with the Boylans, who are planning to retire, began in earnest around six months ago.

He said the deal, which has not been finalized, is expected to close by the end of June. 

Ski Martock is a 180-metre-high resort that offers seven trails for skiing and snowboarding, a lounge, and a ski and snowboard school. It's typically open from early December through late March.

Kejval said he sees Martock as a "well-oiled machine" and he isn't looking to make any drastic changes right away. 

"Martock is celebrating 60 years this winter," said Kejval, a former professional skier from the Czech Republic.

"Nothing will happen this first year. I'm a big believer in observing how things operate and work … before making any significant changes." 

In the long term, he said, he is interested in exploring the possibility of keeping the hill open year-round, perhaps in a similar capacity to Cape Smokey, where hiking and mountain bike trails are open in the warmer months.

Complementary offering

Kejval said he's looking forward to the possibility of integrating the two hills and offering passes that can be used at both Martock and Cape Smokey. 

He sees them as complementary offerings, with Cape Smokey being a tourism destination that people may visit more on weekends or special occasions, and Martock, with its proximity to Halifax, more geared toward members who visit all winter long. 

When reached Thursday, West Hants Regional Municipality Mayor Abraham Zebian was just being alerted to the pending sale. 

He thanked the Boylans for their years of service and said he looked forward to working with the incoming ownership team.

He said Martock is an integral part of the community. 

"There's probably very few who haven't been to the hill in some way or form or shape," he said. "Being here within our community … it means everything to us." 

As of 2021, according to a past release from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Martock employed 12 full-time and 200 seasonal workers and attracted over 80,000 visitors to the area annually.

CBC News has reached out to Ski Martock and Heather and Jim Boylan and is awaiting a reply. 

MORE TOP STORIES