Milestone for Snow Farm rebirth

Foundations have been poured for Snow Farm's new base building, with construction on track to be completed before the 2024 winter.

The facility will house the Snow Farm's critical operations, including rentals, ticketing, retail and a small cafe and seating area.

"This is a significant milestone for us," says general manager Sam Lee.

"We [will] finally have a purpose-built facility to serve our dedicated local customer base and facilitate a more successful beginner experience.

"Having the base facility at the same level as our learner trails will alleviate all the difficulties first timers have transitioning with their rental gear in hand to the snow."

Landscaping around the building will improve carpark capacity by 40% and ensure all guests are in the same carpark, with only a 50m walk to the base facility and start of the trail network.

It will also improve the Snow Fun Zone, enabling it to catch more snow and provide better access for families.

"These improvements to the layout of our main base facilities will go a long way to making the first-time experience on snow more fun and less stressful, given its proximity to the base facilities," Lee says.

"It is ideal for families to have a first-time experience with snow for young children with an improved slope for tubing and more space away from the ski activities to build snowmen and have fun on the snow."

The work is being completed by Breen Construction.

Snow Farm has funded the construction through support from the Otago Community Trust, Central Lakes Trust, several private donors and internally generated funds.

As the only non-profit ski area in the Southern Lakes region Snow Farm aims to keep its experiences affordable and to make the Pisa Recreation Reserve available to all residents and visiting tourists. The cost of a season's pass is under $200.

"This is a significant step in 'future-proofing ' the Snow Farm and will enable us to serve the community and grow the sport of cross-country skiing in New Zealand," Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust Chairman Samuel Belk says.

"We are truly grateful to our supporters whose contributions enable us to keep the Snow Farm affordable and accessible as a snow sports experience."