Snowmaking is in Turoa's long term strategy

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 5, 19 August 1988, Page 16

Snowmaking is in Turoa's long term strategy

New Zealand Ski Fields Managing Director Tony Wright agrees with Warren Cooper's recent comments that snow making is becoming important for the New Zealand ski field industry.

Snow making is becoming important in long term strategy and has to be considered to gain a reliable cash flow, not only to protect ours but the town's investment," M r Wright said this week. He said there was a $20million investment in replacement cost in the Turoa ski field, and added that the company's studies have shown that for every dollar spent at Turoa, $5 is spent in support activities such as accommodation and restaurants. While Turoa doesn't have plans to install snow making facilities this summer, the company is studying the option, said M r Wright. He says he agrees with Mr Cooper o n rock grooming, espeoially with regard to the viability of snow making. Also, he said there had to be a "pay back" from investing in snow making. Mr Wright has been quoted as saying his company will begin discussions with the Department of Conser-

vation on the matter soon. He denied saying that snow making machines cost a minimum of $5 million as was quoted in a Taumarunui news-

paper. He pointed out that Turoa already has a small scale snow making unit operating in the Alpine Meadow area of Turoa Skifields. A prerequisite for large scale snow making at Turoa would be an electric power cable to supply the field. Mr Wright said snow

making involves enormous energy costs with a major plant pumping up to one million gallons of water per night and that he didn't believe diesel power was an option. Water would not be a problem for snow making at Turoa but would be a major cost exercise, he said.

Snow making would be looked at to allow earlier ski season starts, as is the case in North America. There, snow making means ski fields can attract skiers during the busy Christmas holidays, said Mr Wright. The prospect of rain washing away expen-

sive artificial snow is a risk that would have to be taken, as is the case in North America, he said. Mr Wright said while there was a definite shift in the seasons being experienced, the "greenhouse effect" was not a factor yet. He said there was too much speculation about

the predicted warming of the earth's atmosphere. "We've had weather cycles since man began recording weather statistics." He said he had seen statistics that showed the present cycle as being similar to one in the 1946-49 period.