Build it in Lismore: 60% of people want the ski jump

SHOULD the ski jump be built in Lismore? The results of an online poll have been revealed.

Plans for a ski jump facility in Lismore. Picture: Contributed

Update Thursday 2.15pm: SHOULD the ski jump be built in Lismore?

The Northern Star posed this question to our readers in an online poll, and the majority of respondents said "yes".

The poll, which closed at lunch time today, found that 61 per cent of people wanted the ski jump facility to be build in Lismore, while 38 per cent said no.

Update Wednesday 9.25am: LISMORE Mayor Isaac Smith said the ski jump would be a huge benefit to Lismore.

"We know from the original proposal, the facility will pay for itself and will not cost council any money," he said.

"As for aesthetics, it is in the eye of the beholder."

However, Cr Smith said while the facility would initially be used by elite athletes, it would be self-funded.

"Our international elite athletes want to train somewhere warm and surrounded by a great community and this is Lismore," he said.

"I think it would hideous at Lennox Head but it would look great by a hillside in Lismore."

Update 8.15am: Cr Vanessa Elkins said she was opposed to the proposed ski jump facility on aesthetic and economic grounds.

"I think that it looks a hideous monstrosity, it has a huge footprint the size and as high of the Lismore Base Hospital," she said.

"It's an elite facility and will only be used five months of the year and Southern Cross University rejected having it on their grounds because it's a potential white elephant."

But Member for Page, Kevin Hogan said he believed having the training facility in Lismore would attract jobs and be an economic boost for the region

"I have been lobbying both the federal and state governments for months to build the facility here in Lismore and things are progressing well," he said.

"This would attract athletes from around the world year round, it is more than a ski jump it's a multi-level training facility and would be able to be used by locals."

Original story 7.20am: A LISMORE councillor has revealed plans for a ski jump facility would be "as high as Lismore Base Hospital".

Vanessa Ekins posted the plans on her Facebook page last night, saying: "Holy s--- check out this proposal for Lismore".

She posted two images from the Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund document for the "Lismore Sports Hub: Ski Facility".

"Following the rejection of the initial proposal by Lennox Head, Southern Cross University considered the facility on its East Lismore land," Cr Ekins said.

"The feasibility study that it undertook determined: a. The creation of a sports hub was not financially viable for SCU, but b. The Ski Jump, in isolation, was neither viable nor part of their core business."

Cr Ekins said the new plan was to build the facility - which would be a training centre for elite athletes - on Crown land in Keen St near the basketball courts.

Plans for a ski jump facility in Lismore. Picture: Contributed

In May, after plans to build the ski jump at Lennox Head were rejected, Page MP Kevin Hogan said he had been in negotiations with Federal Sport Minister Greg Hunt about finding suitable land in Lismore.

"We have come up with a number of scenarios, areas and places where we think it could work in our region," he said.

"The next stage is we have people coming up from different departments to evaluate those sites, to look and see if they are feasible and work with what needs to be built."

Cr Ekins' Facebook post has already attracted plenty of comments from residents confused or worried about the proposal.

Janelle Shackel wrote: "Absolutely no way is this happening in my front yard!! It's our wild space. It should be all planted out ... connecting nature with the new Wilsons walking track."

Ronny Susanto said: "Not sure if it is the appropriate location, so close to residential area. Needs to look at and consider the height etc. I don't oppose the project per se but seems a rather odd location."

Kate Olivieri said: "That is directly across from people's houses. It will really dwarf the basketball courts and change the whole vista of the hill. The walking track has just been put in behind here, why would you disturb the tranquillity of that? I'm not against development but it has to be the right development."

Someone posting as "Kooka Burra" asked: "Does it come with snow?"