For 30 years the Zephyr Express was a workhorse lift at Winter Park.
Built in 1990, it ran through the summer and winter months with thousands of people taking rides in its chairs.
Winter Park public relations director Steve Hurlbert said the Zephyr stopped running and was torn down over the summer to make room for the resort's new gondola.
“The Zephyr Express has been in this spot since 1990 and it lives on,” Hurlbert said.
The old lift was taken down, and now the ski lift chairs can be seen around the mountain towns of Winter Park and Fraser. Fraser Mayor Philip Vandernail says dozens of Zephyr chairs are now being used as bus stop benches.
“It’s a cool concept,” Vandernial said. “Instead of destroying the benches they are being recycled and being put to use on our transit system.”
About 20 benches can be seen in Winter Park and another 20 are in Fraser — each one hand painted by a different local artist to make them different and unique.
