Latest news with #ORDA
Business Mayor
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Mayor
Reliving the ‘Miracle'
LAKE PLACID — Steve Brescia of Medford Lakes, New Jersey, was in Utica for the IIHF Women's World Championship in April 2024, when he ran into some fellow Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp attendees. Brescia hadn't attended the camp in a few years, so some of those campers told him that he needed to come back. It's safe to say it didn't take much pleading. Brescia was one of 67 hockey players from around the world — alongside 11 of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team members — who took part in the ninth annual MOI Fantasy Camp, which was held here between Sunday, April 27 to Wednesday, April 30. It was his fifth time attending the camp, and he keeps coming back because of the people he's met over the years. 'The first time you come here, it's all a blur because it's the '80 guys,' he said. 'Then it becomes like a family reunion. Everybody keeps track of each other during the year and some people catch up, but it's just about the people. Hockey is like the seventh or eighth thing I say when I talk about this camp.' The camp director and former ORDA employee, Katie Million, who is currently the director of women's national team programs for USA Hockey, said with 51 returning campers, it's a bit of a 'dysfunctional family reunion.' 'But it's a family reunion nonetheless,' she said. 'Whether it's the campers themselves or the campers and the 1980 team, it's just become a really family atmosphere and seeing friends again for the annual reunion.' Eleven of the 17 surviving members of 1980 hockey team participated in the fantasy camp this year: Bill Baker, Neal Broten, Dave Christian, John Harrington, Steve Janaszak, Mark Johnson, Rob McClanahan, Ken Morrow, Mike Ramsey, Buzz Schneider and Phil Verchota. Living teammates who did not attend were Steve Christoff, Jim Craig, Jack O'Callahan, Mike Eruzione, Dave Silk and Eric Strobel. Eruzione, who usually attends the camp, called in during the camp's 1980 player panel discussion, which was held at RiverTrail Beerworks in Saranac Lake. Defenseman Bob Suter died in 2014, forward Mark Pavelich died in 2021 and fellow forward Mark Wells died in 2024. In addition, two other non-players from the 1980 team were in attendance during this year's camp: assistant coach Craig Patrick and head athletic trainer Gary 'Smitty' Smith. – Family affair – Oftentimes, campers and even the 1980 players describe the camp as a 'family.' But for Ken Morrow, a defenseman for the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, he was serious when he said it. This year, Morrow's son Evan took part in the camp. Evan had previously attended the camp in 2022, but this was his first time as a player. Ken said it was a thrill to see his son take part in this camp, especially in a building that holds so many great memories for him. Evan thought differently, especially since his dad was his coach. 'I think he was trying to trade me all camp, but he heard my price was too high,' he joked. 'He was having to pay the other guys to even consider (taking) me.' Having his dad as a coach reminded Evan of his youth hockey days, when Ken coached his team for a few years. 'You don't get to replicate that too often, so the fact that we get to replicate it here in Lake Placid, which is such a special town, is unbeatable,' he said. Through the years, Evan has met some of the 1980 players, but being on the ice with them is special, and he added that they've still got it. 'Phil Verchota still puts me to shame, John Harrington scores like three goals a game, Davey Christian scores like three goals a game,' he said. 'They've still got that skill in them, and it's awesome to share the ice with them and the fact that they can even still do what they do is just so surprising to see in an awesome way.' This year, four of the 1980 players took to the ice with the campers; those included Christian, Harrington, Verchota and Mark Johnson. 'I think the campers, they get a kick out of being on the bench with us, and being on the ice and passing the puck around and just being teammates,' Johnson said. 'It makes it fun, and just as long as we keep skating and keep upright, we'll probably keep doing it.' Brescia said one of his favorite memories at the camp came a few years ago, while playing with the 1980 guys. 'I scored on Janaszak, with an assist from Pav and Buzz,' he said. 'I can die after that.' Smiles were seen all throughout the camp from both campers and 1980 players. Ken Morrow said some of the 1980 players might have as much fun as the campers. 'I think they might have more fun, to be honest,' Million said. Johnson, who coaches women's hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has led them to eight national titles, has gone to nearly every fantasy camp. Despite spending the entire week beforehand in Paris for hockey, he didn't want to miss this camp. 'I'm going to Florida for league meetings with the coaches (after this),' he said. '(But) it's worth it and it's not that long of a trip from the standpoint that it's not a couple of weeks, it's only getting here on a Sunday and we head out on Thursday. The days are busy, and they're packed, but there are a lot of things they get done during that time, so it's fun.' – Mark Wells – This year's fantasy camp was missing one of its biggest personalities in Mark Wells. The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey member, who attended the eight previous camps, died at the age of 66 on May 18, 2024. Wells struggled with health issues for several years before he died. It kept him from doing a lot of things, but when the Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp was first formed in 2015, Million and other organizers made sure there was something that Wells could do here. They made Wells the camp commissioner. 'He took the role very seriously,' Million said. Wells often sat near the bench used by the U.S. during the famed 'Miracle on Ice' game against the Soviet Union. He told players how they performed, good or bad. This past week, Wells' jersey lay on that chair. 'He was a special man and we are really missing him this year,' Million said. 'It's no different than missing Pav and Bob Suter, as well. Bob Suter never got a chance to come to this fantasy camp, but Pav was here for a few years and of course, Mark.' Wells died nearly two weeks after attending last year's fantasy camp. Johnson said he was always a presence on the team just like Pavelich and Suter were. 'It's just sad because last year, when he was here, he was in a good place,' Johnson said. 'He was in a real good place with his health, his spirits were high and then shortly after we left here, he passed away, so it's tough.' During the camp's opening ceremony, Wells' No. 15 jersey was lowered and raised once again from the rafters in honor of him. 'To see his number in the rafters with Bobby Suter and Mark Pavelich (is special),' Ken Morrow said, who also played college hockey at Bowling Green with him. 'Mark loved it, just like we all do. He was our commissioner, so he sat up here and he was the guy. He made a lot of friends here as well as all of us.' – The camp – The fantasy camp is treated like a real professional hockey season, with a draft, games and a tournament with medals over three days. On Monday, campers skated on the Olympic Center's 1980 Herb Brooks Arena as members of the 1980 U.S. hockey team evaluated their skills. The Olympians then conducted a draft that afternoon, selecting players to fill four teams: Red, White, Blue and Gold. After the teams were filled, had their team meetings and named their teams, the players participated in practice time on the ice. Teams played three games each, Tuesday morning and afternoon and Wednesday morning, before moving on to either the Bronze Game or the Gold Game Wednesday afternoon. A medal ceremony was held afterward, before the official fantasy camp photo was taken on the ice. Million said they're already looking forward to the 10th anniversary, and have some ideas on how to make it special and different to really celebrate it. 'Every year we say, 'Are we going to do another camp?' and we always, at least myself and the '80 guys, talk about getting to 10 years and seeing what happens,' she said. 'Do they still want to keep coming? Do campers still want to come? The overwhelming answer has been yes, but fingers crossed.' LAKE PLACID — Registration for the first-ever event on the Adirondack Rail Trail — Sunday, May 4, starting at … SARANAC LAKE — The Salmon River Shamrocks defeated SLP 5-4 on the road Monday. SLP struggled offensively …
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Van Ho work may go to statewide vote
LAKE PLACID — The state Legislature is considering a constitutional amendment that would allow New York to purchase at least 2,500 acres of land for the Forest Preserve, if approved by New York voters. The purchase would offset up to 323 acres of Forest Preserve land at the Olympic Sports Complex at Mount Van Hoevenberg that either has already been or could be further developed. The amendment, crafted by state employees, green groups and the state Olympic Regional Development Authority itself, seeks to codify this development on Forest Preserve lands at Mount Van Hoevenberg, an authorization which all parties say has been missing for a long time. Mount Van Hoevenberg operates on land that is owned by both the town of North Elba and the state. The state land is zoned as an intensive use area in the state's land classification system and is the subject of the offset. The facilities there are operated by ORDA. Those include a combined bobsled, luge and skeleton sliding track; trails for Nordic skiing and biathlon events; the Mountain Pass Lodge and various other supporting infrastructure. The site has played host to two Olympic Games and numerous world cup events. Mount Van Hoevenberg The land offset requires an amendment to Article 14, Section 1 of the New York State Constitution, the 'forever wild' clause. The offset stems from development that has taken place on the Forest Preserve land that Mount Van Hoevenberg partially sits on. Protect the Adirondacks! Executive Director Claudia Braymer, whose green group helped draft the amendment, said these developments violated the state constitution's 'forever wild' clause. At the same ime, Braymer said Protect understands the economic and community benefit the venue brings to the region. 'We recognize … that Mount Van Hoevenberg is an important community asset, an economic engine for the area, so it isn't in anyone's best interest to go to court over this,' she said. 'We just want to make sure it's cleared up and the integrity of the Forest Preserve is protected — and in this case, that means making an amendment so that what they have done there is legally authorized.' 'ORDA places a high priority on its environmental stewardship obligations for all of its facilities, and especially the ones located on Forest Preserve lands,' ORDA spokesperson Darcy Norfolk said. Norfolk said since Mount Van Hoevenberg's first Unit Management Plan was created in 1986, nearly every UMP since has noted the need to address the 'forever wild' status of the state lands there. While state-owned ski areas at Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain, and Belleayre Mountain each have Article 14 amendments authorizing their use, she said, there's never been a constitutional amendment to explicitly authorize the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex. 'We now have an opportunity through this cooperatively negotiated amendment to place Mount Van Hoevenberg in the same status,' Norfolk said. 'This amendment is intended to protect the integrity of the Forest Preserve by constitutionally authorizing the historic use of this Forest Preserve land to support world-class Nordic skiing and biathlon training and competition, as well as recreational Nordic skiing and other recreational uses.' She added that this is consistent with the state Legislature's intent in establishing ORDA. Norfolk said the amendment would clearly define the parameters of future planning at Mount Van Hoevenberg and provide a certainty about trail development, events and competitions that take place on the Forest Preserve that has been lacking for a long time. Braymer claimed development being at odds with the state constitution have been drawn out over a long time. 'This goes back decades,' she said. 'And to be fair, it goes back before ORDA was even in place managing the lands when they were starting to do tree-cutting and establish Nordic skiing trails on the Forest Preserve side in a way that would have been in excess of the constitutional limits set by case law for tree cutting.' Braymer said that the 323 acres that would be authorized to be developed in accordance with the facility's unit land management plan would not only remedy the developments that Protect! claimed already occurred, but provide some extra room for future expansion. 'It gives some leeway going forward up to the 323 acres to do other things like add additional trails or parking lots … sanitary facilities, offices, lodges,' she said. Corresponding pending legislation also stipulates certain types of facilities that would not be allowed to be built on the Forest Preserve land that Mount Van Hoevenberg operates on. These include hotels, condominiums, zip lines, swimming pools, tennis courts, all-terrain vehicle use or paths for the public and 'other structures and improvements which are not directly related to and necessary for operation, maintenance and public use of the sports complex; or any structure located at or above an elevation of 2,200 feet above sea level used for the sale of any goods, services, merchandise, food or beverage.' A lengthy process Amending the constitution is cumbersome. Voters have the final say, as changes to the state constitution require a simple majority to be ratified. Before that, though, the amendments must be approved by both bodies of the state Legislature in two consecutive sessions. Concurrent resolutions for this amendment having been introduced in both the state Assembly and Senate, and were first passed in the 2023-24 legislative session. The amendment could receive its second passage in either 2025 or 2026 before it is put to voters statewide in either the 2025 or 2026 general election. Environmental groups are hoping that action comes sooner rather than later. Brayer said her organization supports the proposed amendment, but it was worried that with the state budget negotiations running behind schedule and taking up assembly members' and senators' time, other legislative initiatives would be shelved. 'One of the challenges now will be as the budget gets pushed later and later, it just leaves less and less time for the Legislature to do some of these other things that it needs to get through before they all leave for the summer,' she said. 'We don't want to see it get left behind.' State Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay Lake, introduced the constitutional amendment resolution in the Assembly, as well as the corresponding legislative 'intent and purpose' resolution providing a roadmap for the state to act, should the amendment make it to the ballot and be approved by voters. The amendment resolution, as well as the intent and purpose resolution, were introduced in the upper chamber by state Sen. Pete Harckham, D-South Salem, and are co-sponsored by state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury. Jones told the Enterprise on Wednesday that, despite the budget delays, he was confident the resolutions would be passed by both chambers and put on the ballot for voters to decide in the 2025 General Election. 'Hopefully we can walk and chew bubble gum at the same time here in Albany,' he said. 'With the budget getting pushed back, maybe some priorities don't have the timeframe that they should have or usually have, but I believe this still has a great chance of passing this year.' If the amendment does not pass for any reason — the legislature does not get to it or state voters reject it — the state would have to wait another two years to try again. 'On this piece of legislation, I don't see any obstacles that are going to be preventive of doing this,' Jones said. Offset lands Jones said the land offset ratio was 'pretty standard.' He anticipated that, if approved by the voters, the state would be able to identify and purchase land as stipulated in the would-be amendment. While the proposed amendment requires that the land offset occur somewhere within the Adirondacks, it does not specify where it has to be purchased beyond that. John Sheehan, the communications director for the Adirondack Council, a conservation organization, said that traditionally, land offsets have been purchased within the same county — Essex in Mount Van Hoevenberg's case. Sheehan added that until the state is ready to purchase the land for the offset, not much about it is revealed. 'Generally, they don't fix on a single tract so that they don't end up driving the price through the roof by getting it identified ahead of time,' he said. 'But, they've probably got a couple of places in mind.' The proposed resolutions call for the legislature to determine that what is being purchased for the offset is of equal or greater value than the 323 acres at Mount Van Hoevenberg that would be authorized for development in accordance with the aforementioned purposes and restrictions. 'We're not really talking about real estate value here, because that's based on development potential,' Sheehan said. 'What we're talking about is conservation value. We're looking for lands that would be of high conservation potential — whether it's important habitat, maybe steep slopes that would be hard to develop or undesirable to develop or wetlands. … It would not be land that would be really suited to some other purpose. It would be land that is in really pristine shape already or with the potential to grow into really good shape in the future.' To view the concurrent resolution that proposes a state constitutional amendment, visit To view the corresponding concurrent enabling resolution, visit
