INDOOR SKI RUN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29389, 16 December 1960, Page 19

INDOOR SKI RUN

Suggestion For City A genuine inquiry as to whether there would be sufficient enthusiasm in Christchurch to make practical the building of an indoor skj run similar to the Japanese one of which a photograph was published in yesterday’s issue of "The Press” had been received by the Canterbury Public Relations office, said the Public Relations Officer (Mr E. G. Beckett) last evening. The inquiry has been received from a New Zealand businessman and the Canterbury Public Relations Office is interested to learn whether there would be sufficient public support in the city to justify such a project. Mr Beckett said this and the availability of a suitable natural slope would govern any decision on the matter. Mr Beckett said that with the help of modern construction methods the construction of such a building would be neither an architectural problem nor a costly procedure. Year-round indoor skiruns were operating in London and Chicago as well as in Japan, he said. The provision of artificial snow would be simplified by the use of borax. A suitable slope could possibly be found in the Cashmere area. The indoor slope is envisaged as a place where young persons could be given lessons in ski-ing in complete safety and without the expense of a trip to the natural ski grounds. The building would possibly be of sufficient width to contain ski-jumps for the more experienced skiers. During the next few weeks the Canterbury Public Relations Office hopes to obtain a reaction from the public which will inform it whether such a project would have public support.