Big developments coming for Tūroa skifield
Monday, 20 May 2019
After being accused of turning their back on Tūroa and Ohakune the Ruapehu skifield has big plans to promote both.
Last year, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts – who operate both Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields – were accused of forgetting about Tūroa and Ohakune in favour of tourist hub Taupō.
Ohakune businessman Dave Scott raised his concerns after travelling through Turangi and seeing flags fluttering from poles, advertising Mt Ruapehu's ski areas. He also heard Taupō had them.
Ohakune, which is at the base of Tūroa ski field, didn't have any flags until Scott got some made up.
Scott said he and others were upset by what they saw as RAL's focus on Whakapapa skifield with Taupō as its hub, at the expense of Ohakune and Tūroa.
But RAL chief executive Ross Copland said a development plan is in place which will see huge benefits to, not only Tūroa skifield, but also the Ohakune township as well.
'There's a lot of interesting stuff going on but we are currently working through our Indicative Development Plan which is a 10-year plan,' Copland said.
'Our job is once people are in our region is to attract them to our businesses and get them spending and staying locally.'
Copland said RAL got a lot of opinions and feedback from people and from that, they came up with a plan with priority projects identified.
The plan involves new chairlifts, a new gondola, chalet upgrades, and terrain modifications.
The Movenpick Gondola is one of the bigger projects, costing $25 million, and it will replace the Movenpick and Parklane chairlifts with a single gondola, which will stop at the existing top station of the Movenpick Chairlift.
Copland said the 10 passenger cabin gondola designed for Tūroa will result in fewer close days and that is really important for the community.
'We've had a lot of complaints because people weren't able to ski for three or four days at a time if we had to close because the chair lifts weren't able to operate,' he said.
'We do particularly challenging weather on Ruapehu, especially on Tūroa ,but gondolas and ski lifts have come a long way. There will be a real noticeable difference for the community.'
Copland added the new gondola meant they will able to open on time, which was currently a real issue for them.
The application process has already begun for the gondola and that will follow with the 3-4 month consent process but Copland is confident they will start construction in November.
Total seating in and outside Chalet facilities will increase to 1,200 seats with a new 400 seat chalet being developed at Blyth Flat.
While there is plenty on the go for the skifield, Copland said they also have some plans for Ohakune – especially during Tūroa skifield's 40th birthday celebrations.
'We've got a celebration week in October, leading into the last week of ski season,' he said.
'We are currently working through that but it will include off mountain events which will give people an excuse to come and stay. It's not just going to be a one day event but an actual week of celebrations.'
Copland said they have invited Ohakune business to get in behind their plans and the feedback has been positive.
Developments at Whakapapa skifield are still underway, with the Sky Waka Gondola looking to be completed by opening weekend.
Although Whakapapa has had major development upgrades already, Copland said that is primarily because of license renewals and Whakapapa simply needing it first.
'Whakapapa's license renewal was up before Tūroa's so it made sense to start the developments when that license expired.
'Also, Whakapapa had more pressing needs. Tūroa had a major upgrade in 2007/8 and it had been growing but Whakapapa had been decreasing.'