June 6, 2007 (Barrie, ON) – A lengthy legal battle has come to an amicable end now that the County of Simcoe has purchased the 300-acre Hardwood Hills recreational facility. The popular mountain biking and Nordic skiing destination will continue to operate as usual at least for the 2007 season.

The $2 million sale, which includes 300 acres of developed trails and the Hardwood Hills Nordic Ski and Mountain Bike Centre infrastructure, ends a five-year legal dispute between co-owner Kim Viney and the County of Simcoe.

The site is located in Oro-Medonte Township near Barrie and sits next to a county-owned landfill. In 2002, Hardwood filed a lawsuit claiming the landfill was having a negative effect on its business because of pollution in its water tables and bad smells that were driving customers away.

The county is said to have spent around $10 million to clean up the 60-year-old landfill site, making it safe.

“Basically the landfill site was started on sand and gravel, pretty much the worst place you can put the site,” county environmental services manager Rob McCullough told the Barrie Examiner. “Now that we’ve purchased Hardwood, we’ve purchased the property that was being impacted.”

With a court trial pending to address Hardwood’s claim of the lost business, the sale was a way to avoid expensive legal expenses and efforts on both sides.

For the 2007 season, the county will lease the 300-acre recreation site back to Viney’s Hardwood Hills company so it can continue to function without disruption. The Trek Store Canada Cup scheduled for June 16-17, as well as all other scheduled events, will go on as planned.

“I’m delighted to reach this resolution with the County of Simcoe,” Viney said. “It is very important to me that Hardwood Hills will be able to continue as an important tourism site for the County.” (click here to read Hardwood’s statement on the sale)

In the long-term, Viney and the county are looking for investors or new owners that will continue to operate the 300-acre section under a long term lease so it can continue as the popular mountain biking and skiing facility that it is currently.

Hardwood Hills features six trail systems ranging from a 2km Sprockids Trail up to a 15km Radical trail full of steep climbs, drop-offs and man-made obstacles. The facility is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week and 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. The trail fee is $12.50 for adults with discounted rates for students and kids.