RCR Closing Park Jumps?

Simon emailed this link to me today:

http://www.skircr.com/mediaCentre/pr_detail.asp?id=479

It seems that Resorts Of The Canadian Rockies (RCR) are planning to remove park jumps from some of their resorts, with Fernie being one such resort.

It isn't totally clear from the press release which kickers will be removed. The huge jumps only? All jumps? Who knows? I suppose it did say all man-made snow jumps. Either way it's a serious blow. So many snowboarders enjoy riding the kickers that parks provide. It just seems unfair to take that away.

Here's another link, this one to a discussion on the issue:

RCR Focuses on Terrain Park Safety by Removing Jumps

Is it right to announce this decision given that lots of people have already committed to these resorts? Some guys have set themselves up for a whole season only to find out in November that all the park jumps are being removed! Had we known this before there's a good chance it we would have ended up elsewhere...

I don't know enough about the statistics of injuries on the hill, but the issue of safety doesn't feel as black-and-white as this; it's grey.

I guess it's a case of wait and see how the change pans out. An industry leading initiative? Somehow I can't imagine a resort like Whistler scrapping all of its kickers. But then again I would have said the same about Lake Louise... or any resort for that matter.

Luckily I've got a couple of shovels :)