Barry Edward Bellchambers (1943 – 2013)
Barry Bellchambers was born in Latrobe, Tasmania and became captain of his senior school basketball team. After graduating he worked as an accountant trainee at a local pulp mill in his hometown of Ulverstone.1) He started to travel, and apparently pioneered commercial submarines in Hawaii.2)
Bellchambers moved to Canada in 1967 at age 24. He lost all his money in a card game on the boat and landed penniless in Vancouver. He took a job offer as an accountant in Whitehorse and got off the plane with an umbrella at -40 degrees.3) In 1988, he bought a building and leased the land from the City of Whitehorse for $1 a year.4) He built the High Country Inn from the old YWCA building.5) Mayor Bill Weigand commented later that he took an old hostel, with not the best reputation, and turned it into an asset to the city.6)
In 1985, the City demolished the ice portion of Jim Light Memorial Area and there was a discussion about a use for the foyer.7) In the end, Bellchambers bought the old Lions Pool next door to his High Country Inn [in year?] and turned it into a conference centre.8)
In November 1993, Chambers applied to the City for a lease amendment so he could have a liquor license for a lounge and his restaurant. Fourteen hoteliers opposed Bellchambers' request saying the lease gave him an unfair advantage over their businesses as they had the cost of owning their properties. In 1994, City approved an agreement to sell the High Country Inn lot to Barry Bellchambers for $350,000 over the next three years so that he would own the lot under a mortgage. The original 41-year lease stipulated that if the property was sold it would be assessed at the public use value. The money was to go into a fund so the City could replace recreational facilities. Council also agreed to immediately approve the addition of a licensed lounge and to rezone the property to commercial. The current zoning of public use meant that the land was assessed at $292,000. The rezoning raised the assessment to $450,000.9)
Bellchambers sold the High Country Inn when his wife and partner Maggie Holt was diagnosed with cancer, and devoted himself to her recovery.10) Over the years, Barry and Maggie created a number of business adventures together including diamond drilling, home building, mining at Livingstone, and real estate sales.11)
Barry Bellchambers became well known in Whitehorse as an athlete in a number of sports, and built a reputation as an entrepreneur and ambassador for the north.12)