Ski slope set for Waroona

Skiers could soon be hitting the slopes in Waroona with Shire of Waroona councilors approving the construction of WA’s first artificial dry ski slope at a council meeting on Tuesday.

The artificial ski field will be constructed at Forest Edge Recreation Centre in Waroona and is the brain child of owner Graeme Watson.

Once complete the facility will feature 3000-3500sqm of artificial ski fields made up of a main slope, a snow tube area for children, a toboggan area and a freestyle area.

Mr Watson said the project had been three-and-a-half years in planning, with construction expected to start in February 2016.

“We’re hoping we can have a white Christmas,” he said.

Mr Watson said they had extensively researched artificial slopes in the United Kingdom where they are hugely popular.

“They’ve had these slopes in the UK for five decades but in the last 10 years the technology has improved dramatically as has the performance of the surface,” he said.

Following 19 site visits to various slopes in the UK, Mr Watson said they had settled on a product called Proslope.

“We feel it has the best characteristic of any ski surface,” he said.

Artificial ski slopes are made of a synthetic fibre which is placed over mats and can be sprayed with mist with characteristics of snow.

Mr Watson said the slope would add another dimension to the centre, which would also benefit Waroona and the Peel region.

“It will be great for WA,” he said. “It will create more jobs.”

Mr Watson said there had been strong support from the community and the Shire of Waroona, both of which were excited by the project.

Forest Edge Recreation currently features a 230-metre flying fox, rock climbing, kayaking, abseiling, target shooting, orienteering and raft building.

It has been a busy week for the centre with the business also winning the 2015 Western Australian Regional Small Business of the Year Award.