John and Mary Lee developed the Cardrona skifield and have spent most of their lives fulfilling their vision of snow sport destinations on Central Otago's Pisa Range, but now it is time to move on. Marjorie Cook reports.
John Lee says "Piesa". Wife Mary says "Peasa". But however they say the word, the couple share a joint passion for the Pisa Range, where Mr Lee (75) has lived almost all his life.
"I think it's named after the Leaning Tower of Pisa but I think common usage has taken it down to "Piesa". I don't know why," Mr Lee said last week.
The Pisa Range is home to Waiorau Station and the Snow Farm (cross-country skiing), Snow Park (freestyle terrain park) and the Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground (vehicle testing facility).
The three businesses are a result of more than 20 years' work to convert the high country station to a snow sports destination.
Mr Lee and his wife of 43 years, Mary (63) sold the proving ground business to a Christchurch-based outfit in 2005 but own the land supporting it, the Snow Park (in which the Lee family still retains a substantial stake) and the Snow Farm.
Last week, the Lees' retirement became a reality rather than a dream, after confirmation of finance conditions attached to the sale of the Snow Farm's cross-country ski trails to the Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust.
It's something they've looked forward to since 2009 - each of the last three winters they've been hoping it would be their last - but now it's happened, they feel "a bit flat", the couple said last week.
"We have to [retire], or we are going to be in a box soon. That's permanent retirement," Mrs Lee joked.
She then told a story of how her son Sam once spent ages building a pulley system so he could maintain his bicycle.
When he had finished, she asked him how he felt about it.
"He said "The challenge and fun was in all the building". That does sum it up," Mrs Lee said.
This year, the Lees lived off the mountain for the first time in 22 years, and rented a friend's house in Cardrona instead.
By March next year, the Snow Farm will be subdivided from the title and held as a Queenstown Lakes District Council recreation reserve, in perpetuity, and managed by the trust.
Mrs Lee has "yo-yo-ed" up and down the mountain every day for this winter and once the season is over (probably within the next week or two), will continue to work from home on the computer until it is time to hand things over the trust next year.
"I did feel slightly sad when [a proving ground employee] Barney came in and said, "There are no more Lees on the mountain". But I can still go up the mountain and ski. And I am still involved in Biathlon New Zealand, the New Zealand Cross Country Ski Association and the New Zealand Nordic Sports Development Association. I am happy to help with all that work.
Over the years, we've met so many young people and changed their pathways to things they would never have dreamed of doing through sport. One young girl, through cross-country skiing, got into the British Air Force because it [the skiing] gave her another side of life," Mrs Lee said.
While Mrs Lee has been at the forefront of day-to-day operations, Mr Lee has been the visionary and the financial decision-maker, although he stresses his wife, daughters Jo and Rachel and son Sam, have always been consulted and involved in the companies, allowing him to move into a "spectator" or "babysitting" role.
Babysitting is a literal life change, as he's been recently spending more time with his four Wanaka-based grandchildren.
The couple also have two grandchildren in Dunedin.
Mr Lee intends to focus on completing "legal mechanics" associated with the Snow Farm's handover.
He also has ongoing projects with the balance of their holdings, including the proposed gondola, proposed Roaring Meg Resort and the Snow Park.
"I still have things to do in Cardrona," he said.
The about $2 million transfer of the Snow Farm has been four years in the gestation and Mr Lee said while it might be sad to be cutting the ties, it would have been more sad if the trust had not been able to complete the deal.
He turned down a better offer from the proving ground company to buy the Snow Farm because the family was concerned the cross-country ski trails would not be covenanted.
The couple believe the trust will quickly find its feet and get a feel for the wide range of winter activities already taking place at the Snow Farm.
"Our staff are transient but I hope some of our staff will be able to transfer to the trust.
"That would be excellent, because that gives the trust continuity," Mrs Lee said.
The couple see huge potential for developing summer sports and recreational opportunities on the Pisa Range but feel younger people with energy are needed to drive them.
"His vision is still ginormous but we don't have the youth to do it any more," Mrs Lee said.
They are both hearty and happy, have no intention of moving from Cardrona at the moment, which they firmly believe will grow, and are adamant they will not be moving into a retirement home any time soon.
"We don't like to plan too far ahead," Mr Lee said, with his characteristic touch of humour.
"We are different to most retiring people. We set up Cardrona [skifield] and moved on. Then the proving ground and moved on. Now, with the cross-country and Snow Farm, we are moving on. You could say we are movers-on," he said.
"The only thing I feel sad about is there are two or three sites in East Otago or Southland, close to Dunedin, where you could do the same sort of thing with cross-country skiing ... I think we are missing out on a wonderful opportunity. They [cross-country outfits] would only take up small pockets of a mountain and would be a great attraction for visitors and locals to do. And with the Roaring Meg and gondola, we do visualise that going ahead. We have the resource consents. That is up to Sam," Mr Lee said.
Mr Lee has been writing a book of his memoirs. It is nearly finished and he is seeking a publisher.
It hasn't been an easy task for a man who claims he can't write, is computer illiterate and he had to battle to avoid demotion to the D-grade in his years at Waitaki Boys' High School.
"There was an A, B, C class, then a special class D. I was having quite a battle with a chap called Ray Paterson for the 33rd spot in C. I don't know what happened to him," Mr Lee said.
Mr Lee says he covers a lot of ground in his book but clarifies it is a series of memoirs rather than a narrative history.
The Pisa Range had always been a special place for him and he was thrilled it was being handed on to a new generation of people who wanted to sustain it, he said.
"There are so many wonderful memories you couldn't select just one. The main thing is people can come up now and enjoy what I enjoyed as a young musterer. I was in the lucky generation. There were no roads. You had to walk or ride to the top, and get up at 2am or 3am ... Just when it was getting so I could no longer run up the hill, along came the roads and helicopters and I can still get up there," he said.
Lee timeline
• 1920: John Lee's father, Robert Lee, obtains title to Waiorau Station on Pisa Range through returned servicemen's ballot.
• 1964: John Lee buys station from his parents.
• 1970: John Lee buys Mt Cardrona Station1980: Cardrona skifield opens to the public1984: Work begins to set up the Snow Farm vehicle proving ground and cross-country ski trails on Pisa Range.
• 1989: Cardrona sold and Lees shift focus to Pisa Range.
• 1998: Snow Farm lodge built; Race to the Sky motorsport event starts.
• 2002: Snow Park terrain park opens2003: John Lee announces vision for Roaring Meg resort and ski trails2005: Proving ground business sold; Lee family retains land ownership.
• 2008: Consent for $17 million gondola obtained. Waiorau Station on market. Last Race to the Sky.
• 2009: John Lee and Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust approach QLDC with a proposal for a 310ha recreation reserve at Snow Farm.
• 2010: Snow Park business partners Sean and Robyn Synnott join Sam Lee in a joint management venture. Lee family retains land ownership.
• 2011: Sam Lee resigns as director and operations manager at Snow Park citing a "difference in values" with his partners, but remains 50% shareholder.
• 2011: Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust confirms finance clause in Snow Farm purchase agreement with Lee family.
• 2012: Settlement of Snow Farm deal due in March.
