Locals at the latest under-threat-of-closure British community dry ski slope have set up a charity with the aim of taking over operation of the slope.
The group behind the move are local parents and others who are bidding to make a "Community Asset Transfer" of Polmonthill Ski Slope near Falkirk from the local council.
The fact that the future of the slope, which just celebrated its 50th year in operation and has a 100m main slope and a 20m nursery slope, was in doubt became clear last year when it was featured in Falkirk Council's Strategic Property Review.
The new management body has been christened 'Polmonthill Community Snowsport Centre (PCSC)'
Polmonthill is the latest in a line of British dry slopes run by local councils to face closure in recent years, with cash-strapped local authorities either unable to continue funding them or seeing a cash boost to council coffers from selling the land where the slope is located to property developers. Usually both.
Often this land was low value when the slopes were created but has become much more so in subsequent decades as towns have expanded around them. Falkirk Council has identified more than 100 properties in its estate it wants to remove from council ownership by 2025.
On the one hand the council moves save and raise money, on the other they usual go against council's stated aims of encouraging healthy living, mental well-being and community involvement. Often particularly hitting local children, disabled and other community groups.
The slopes also bring new skiers and boarders into the sport affordably and locally when they most likely would never have tried skiing or snowboarding otherwise, most famously Britain's World Cup winning skier Dave Ryding.
"It has been a long process to get us to this stage but it is absolutely fantastic that we are now a Scottish registered charity. "Charitable status means that we will now be able to apply for funding to help us run and maintain this brilliant slope that we are all so proud of and continue to provide excellent facilities for skiers and boarders. This is such a well-used community club and now our efforts turn to the community asset transfer and keeping Polmonthill Snowsports Club available for future generations," a parent and now trustee of the new charity told local media.
If the Polmonthill community asset transfer is successful the slope will become the second charity run dry slope in Scotland. The slope had been scheduled to close this April but the community' have won a stay of execution to October.
There are about 70 dry slopes still operating in the UK from a high of around 200 in the 1980s.