Taiga is an active participant in the community, and believes that by volunteering with other locals we can improve the Kutchan - Niseko area. Although the resort is 50 years old, there is still plenty of room to improve the experience for locals and visitors alike!
Kutchan Tourism Association Board of Directors:
Keith Rodgers was a Director of the Kutchan Tourism Association from 2012 - 2016, and before this was on the board of directors of the Hirafu Tourism Association from 2010 to 2012 (until it was incorporated into the Kutchan Tourism Association). From 2022-2025, Executive Director of the Transportation Committee, focussing on the rebranding and expansion of the Hirafu Free Shuttle Bus.
Community
In the summer of 2011, Taiga spearheaded the Niseko Tsunami Relief Summer Program, which brought over 420 refugees and displaced people from Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures to Niseko.
Member of the Kutchan Police Board from 2017 to 2023, sharing concerns from locals and looking positively for solutions to make the area safer.
Town Planning
In 2011, Keith contributed to the revised sign guidelines for Hirafu Village.
In 2012, Keith was actively involved in the proposed Hirafu Business Improvement District (BID), which aimed to earmark funds for small, targeted infrastructure improvements.
In 2013, appointed by Kutchan Mayor Fukushima to be on the Hirafu Master Planning Steering Committee, which was researching major capital improvements. The committee was comprised of local businesses, municipal and district governments.
In May, 2016, appointed to the Hirafu Area Management Steering Committee by Kutchan Mayor Nishie, and pushed for swift government action on infrastructure upgrades.
In 2022 submitted a petition to Mayor Monji and Kutchan City Council with 724 signatures, requesting changes to the revision of the Kutchan Quasi-City Planning regulations. We requested more parking for each development, a specialized resort planner to guide the process, and a review of the area's tourism capacity.
