OUR TEAM
Angela & Perry Symes
Perry and Angela are the owners of BlackDog cycle and ski. Making a leap and moving here from the prairies 5 years ago proved to be the best life choice they could have made. Angela has skied from a very young age and actually learned to ski on the Kimberley hill. Perry, also an avid skier, spent the majority of his childhood on a motorbike and now loves every second he gets on his mountain bike. They are both very passionate about all things Kimberley and are excited to share the experiences they have had in this town they have come to love so much. With Perry's background in business and Angela's love of all thing's customer related they are looking forward to a long future in the Platzl.
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"We have had a dream of opening a shop like this for many of the 21 years we have been married. We are not afraid of a challenge but know that surrounding ourselves with likeminded and passionate people will make all the difference. We are very aware of what our team members mean to our business and feel fortunate to have them working with us."
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Perry and Angela have big plans for this business and are ready to provide exceptional service and products for all age and level of bike or ski enthusiasts.
Dave Harder
Dave is a legend and what we like to call our Maverick. When it comes to anything bike related he is the Best of the Best in our opinion. Dave moved to Kimberley from Calgary last year where he worked at Bow Cycle and previous to that worked at Fanatyk in Whistler. Dave has been on a bike for as long as he can remember, entering the race scene when he was only 9 and becoming an elite level rider before he turned 20. In 2016 Cube noticed his talent and sponsored him for the race season.
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Dave is still an ambassador for Cube bikes and because of this we are proud to feature them in our store. When you are out enjoying our beautiful trails as well as the exceptional new Bootleg downhill track there is a pretty good chance Dave is in part responsible for not only for helping to build but the concept as well. He has been involved with the trail society in helping building trails, and upkeep. Biking and all that goes with it is simply not just a passion for this Aussie, it's a way of life.
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Dave has volunteered for the Kimberley freewheelers, teaching kids how to ride as well as fostering a love of the sport of biking. While in the Platzl one evening I watched one parent go up to Dave and say "could you please tell my son to wear a helmet, he won't listen to me" Dave chatted with him and he hasn't been seen without one since.
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I think the coolest thing I have seen since working with Dave is the level of respect he has gained in our community in the short time he has been here. Dave is an amazing rider and bike mechanic but it comes with zero ego attached to it. He is humble, and grateful and ready for any challenge you and your bike may bring his way.
Tim Wintoniw
Tim is our second in command bike mechanic as well as a Nordic expert. Tim is a certified cross-country ski coach and spends his "down time" coaching the XC ski team throughout every season. His vast knowledge of the sport of XC skiing has taken him all over the world.
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He has developed grass roots programs for all ages and range of skiers. He brings a wealth of knowledge, passion and integrity to the sport and uses this skill set to coach high performance athletes and beginners alike. Like everyone here in Kimberley Tim and his wife Kate take every opportunity to utilize our beautiful Nature trails as well Rails to Trails.
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We are pumped to have Tim on board with our business vision and have been utilizing his knowledge to make sure we bring you all the best options for your Nordic needs.
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At Blackdog it is our intention to cover all the bases in regards to what this beautiful playground has to offer and we feel that Tim is one of the best options when it comes to hitting the trails in any season.
Scott (Scooter) Reid
With a passion for ski racing from a very young age, Scooter has spent his entire life involved in ski racing.
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Since graduating from the University of Alberta with a Bachelors of Phys. Ed. degree, Scooter has worked at every level from Nancy Greene to the World Cup, and at the Olympics.
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With his vast experience both as a service man and a coach, Scooter is in a unique position to be able to provide individualized hand tunes to meet each client's specific needs.
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Providing professional world cup race service, 100% hand tunes for the weekend/recreational skier/rider all the way up to a world cup athlete.
Jake Ferguson
Jake Ferguson has been with the Blackdog Team since 2018 when we opened. He was just 13 years old when the doors opened but his drive and mechanical inclination proved to be way beyond his years.
Jake has been apprenticing under head mechanic Dave Harder since the days before the doors opened and shows such skill and intuition as a mechanic. Jake knows bikes and can answer any customer questions on the floor as well.
At Blackdog we really do believe that youth are the pathway to the future of not only the bike business but the future of the trails as well. Jake has spent countless hours working on trail nights and is no stranger to the end of a rake. It has been a pleasure to foster the passion of this young man and know the future holds very big things for him.
We will be humbled to be able to say we knew him when……