They just opened May Long Weekend and it’s already shaping up to be a busy season for new Ghost Station owners Mike Mondor and Corleen Schultz.
“I love camping so much, I thought ‘let’s buy the place’,” said Mondor. “It’s one of those things where you drive by and you think ‘if that ever went up for sale, I’d buy that.’”
The Cochranites are passionate about all things camping and boating, prompting them to purchase the 11-acre parcel, which includes a full-service convenience store, gas station, campground and recreational storage facilities located east of Ghost Lake Provincial Campground along Hwy 1A.
“The feedback we’ve been getting from the locals is amazing,” said Mondor. “People are really happy that we’re going to be open year-round.”
Since purchasing the property in December 2013, the couple has been busy renovating the facilities — expanding the convenience store to catalogue an impressive supply of items, including a well-stocked beer, wine and liquor supply, as well as fireworks (available for purchase for adults 18 and over; fireworks cannot be set off within the Town of Cochrane).
The propane and gasoline service station also now sells diesel fuel.
“We just wanted to give this place a facelift, while keeping the vintage theme,” explained Schultz, gesturing to the new gray laminate flooring, old-fashioned lighting, Foothills Ice Cream service bar and signage.
Likely the first face customers will see when entering the convenience store, Schultz laughs that it’s a switch from her career in the non-profit sector — but a pace that she enjoys.
Mondor toured the Eagle around the campground area which has some 25 serviced and non-serviced sites, including behind the outbuildings where he seeks to expand the campground and recreational storage facilities, as well as making as many sites serviced as possible; he is also the owner of Landmass Dirtworx Ltd., an excavation, landscaping and snow removal company.
Sharron Crich, whose family has a lengthy history with Ghost Station, said she is looking forward to paying a visit and seeing what renovations have been done.
Crich explained that her stepfather and mother, John and Patricia McGillis, bought the parcel of land in 1959, when there was just a streetcar in place as a diner and service station; her family built the convenience store in 1964.
She shared stories with the Eagle of how concerts used to be held on the property and famous movie stars have eaten at the once-upon-a-time diner.
Crich and her family took over the family business in 1989 and ran it until 1995. After several years of having the business ran for them, her family finally sold in 2001.
Since then, the business has been seasonal and closed during the winter months.
“I think it’s great,” said Crich, with respect to the notion of an ambitious couple renovating the property. “The location is fantastic.”
The couple is also in the middle of renovating the other buildings on the property, including a cabin that Crich said is over 100 years old, as well as a doublewide trailer.
The couple is looking forward to meeting area residents and recreational users in the coming weeks.
