NEW SLOPE NEWS
As most of you I’m sure will know, the slope at Plas y Brenin had to be closed back in April this year, half way through our fully booked Easter Have a Go sessions.
It was closed due to concerns regarding the safety of the structure of the slope as raised by the relevant staff responsible for H&S at PYB.
Plas y Brenin subsequently commissioned a full structural survey, at their own expense, and the results were as we had feared. That the slope is now beyond serviceable repair and had to be closed, in it’s current form, permanently.
This has meant that we have obviously not been able to have any sessions over the summer whilst we explore what options we have going forward.
NEW SLOPE OPTIONS
There have been various conversations going on in the background over the last year or so to try and explore what options there might be for another slope, given that the PYB slope was operating on borrowed time in general.
The options that we have ahead of us include: (see below for more details on each of these options.
- The possibility of a rebuild at the Plas y Brenin site.
- A new site at the Tree Tops centre in Betws y Coed.
- Agreed use of the Llandudno slope, and possible resurfacing.
- Another site TBD
- No new slope options.
Added to this we were able to agree in a meeting with PYB, Sport England, Snowsport Wales, and ourselves, to raise the funds to commission a feasibility study on the PYB and the Tree Tops site options. The first stage of this has been carried out (by David Francis, a Snowsport Industry Professional who has a long and distinguished background working in this field and an avid supporter of NWSC) at the end of August. The 2nd phase is pending.
- The Plas y Brenin optionis dependent on a strong enough case being made that it would justify their investment to rebuild the slope there, but unlikely that it would be a dendix surface if it were to be rebuilt. It does offer up the possibility of redeveloping the slope to be better suited to Slopestyle and a better learning experience for boarders and skiers.
- The Tree Tops option. The offer of making use of some of the land to the side of the Tree Tops site in Betws y Coed is still available, plus support in kind from the company and a peppercorn rent for the site. Similarly this site needs a strong enough case being put forward to be able to raise the interest of investors and / or funders to make this option a reality.
- Re the Llandudno Slope: Snowsport Wales have met over the summer with Llandudno slope management and there are no current plans to resurface the slope to make it more user friendly for more advanced skiers or race training, e.g. resurfacing with Dendix or similar.
However as a Club we have negotiated favourable rates for a series of trial Club sessions starting in October up until Christmas on a Sunday morning - details above.
- Other site options: Currently there are no other solid site options at this stage. We have looked and considered a few other locations but as it stands there is nowhere that is viable or able to be used at this stage.
- No New Slope option: We would hope that this option does not become a reality, but it is our intent that we will have a slope somewhere at some point, hopefully in the not too distant future
If there is anyone in the Club who feels they can help in this area, fund raising or otherwise, please make yourselves known to a club rep at one of our sessions and / or endeavour to contact Roger Hughes, or Robina McCann. You can do this via our NWSC facebook page if needs be, or talk to a Club Rep at one of our events or sessions.
Please note that the Clubs primary interest is not necessarily in building, maintaining, funding or running ski centres. We would much rather be getting on with doing what we do best and do well, providing opportunities and excellent quality instruction and coaching for all our members.
So anyone able to assist in these other areas would be greatly appreciated.
