THE EDITOR, Sir,
IT WAS with intense interest that I listened to a BBC Internet newscast on Monday morning, March 6. The newscast highlighted a desire on the part of Australian officials to invest some $40 million to develop a comprehensive winter sport facility on a continent that is considered to be (on average) the warmest, driest and flattest of all.
On hearing this (seemingly outrageous) proposal my mind ran to a recent trip taken to a mountain resort here in California called Big Bear. This resort, lying at an average height of some 6000 to 7000 feet, which has a similar elevation to that of the Jamaica's Blue Mountain range, employs artificial snow making technologies in order to attract a profitable level of tourist arrivals during periods of low precipitation and/or slightly higher temperatures.
MINI WINTER SPORT VILLAGE:
Although Jamaica's latitude and distances from the warming influences of the sea are not as favourable as those in southern California, average temperatures on the highest peaks within the Blue Mountain range tend to foster frost (and significantly cooler temperatures) during the December to March time frame. Such cool Blue Mountain temperatures (which often drop into the 30to 40Fahrenheit range) seem to offer the climactic conditions that favour the establishment of a mini winter sport village: one that could both provide Jamaica with a unique Caribbean tourist attraction and a training venue for Jamaica's national bobsled team.
With an emphasis on snow boarding and car tyre tube sliding, a Blue Mountain winter resort (using artificial snow technology) could attract droves of foreign visitors (in order to help recoup/offset project expenditures) by highlighting Jamaica's bobsled endeavours (in recent winter Olympics).
MINI BOBSLED THEME PARK
In essence, this Blue Mountain project would promote a mini bobsled theme park: one complete with reggae music, Jamaican cuisine, and if possible, Bob Marley memorabilia.
The Jamaican Bobsled concept which has attracted visitors to bars and restaurants in the Montego Bay area could conceivably do the same in a well designed Blue Mountain (winter) resort. A bit far fetched? Maybe, maybe not! An official comprehensive research study on the possibility for the success of such an unusual project would however be of value. Let's think outside the box for Jamaica's ultimate development!!
I am, etc.
GARFIELD WHITTAKER
garfield.whittaker@csun.edu
Department of Geography
California State University,
Northridge
Los Angeles,CA
Via Go-Jamaica
