55 cannons will blow snow in Bansko this winter

55 cannons will blow snow in Bansko this winter

24Hours, 03.09.05, Tichomir Tonchev

55 cannons will blow snow in Bansko, for the new skiing season, after 10 new cannons were installed in the resort. The ski zone turned the small town into a resort of European class! The total length of the pistes is 65 kilometers, said Ivan Obreikov, a head of the concessionary firm. It invested 3 million BGN for the new season. The dangerous sites of the pistes are secured by fences. The construction of the fences is done according to the plans of the Austrian firm “Meingast”. The pistes are grassed and secured against erosion. The slopes of the traces are strengthened against falling rocks, which will also be grassed. New channels for draining were built against the heavy rains. In that way the water will fall down straight to Damyanishka River. The new snow cannons are from the leading Italian mark “Techno alpine” and are based along the ski road Shiligarnika- Banderishka polyana. Thus the ring of pistes with artificial snow will be closed. This will allow the skiers to change the different pistes even if the snow is not enough. If the temperature is below minus 3 degrees Celsius, the cannons can work on their full capacity even in November. Two brand new slope maintenance vehicles were bought for the maintenance of the ski pistes. This will guarantee the great maintained slopes. In spite of the fact that the pistes are easy accessible by a fast cabin lift with a capacity of 2400 people per hour, tourists with automobiles will also feel comfortable. The wholes along the road to the ski zone are repaired and the last 3, 5 kilometers of the road to Banderishka polyana and Shiligarnika are already asphalted. There is a project for securing the sites which are endangered by avalanches. However they are out of the zone of the concession and thus the decision should be made from the Ministry of Ecology. Bansko is preparing to host important competitions during the winter, said Obreikov. From 21- 28th of January the World Championship for journalists will take place! The resort will also host a round from the Balkan cup for ski- alpine disciplines. The world federation has already viewed the site, because they want it to host for a round of the European resort and than for the world. Ski lovers will have the opportunity for night skiing along the 650 meters long piste. Torches will be given to tourists as attractions, they will be able to attach them on their helmets and thus they will be able to ski from Banderishka ployana to Bansko. 100- 150 ski instructors will prepare the beginners for the great fun in the snow. The ski shacks have already supplied 3000 pairs of ski Atomic and Solomon. The third mobile phone operator will allow its users to use perfect communication services. The new winter season in Bansko will start with 2 500 new beds. 200 new buildings for over 100 million euro are being constructed. The Investor’s interest hasn’t ceased in spite of the fact that the price of the land is over 160 euro per square meter. All good terrains are already sold. The beds in the resort will be over 7500 this winter season, said the mayor of the municipal Alexander Kravarov. 2000 will be the new apartments. They are being sold mainly to people from foreign countries. The construction works in Bansko at the moment are assessed to be over 100 million euro. The most fashionable of the new hotels is Kempinski. It opened during the summer. The five star hotel is just next to the Gondolata- the first station of the main lift. “Kempinski” has 300 beds. One more, nice hotel- the four star Lion will also start welcoming guests this winter. It is situated right in front of “Perun” complex in Gramadeto site. It also offers around 300 beds. “Lion” is part of a famous hotel chain on the seaside and in Sofia. Enterprisers from Russia are building a complex “St. Ivan”, but it won’t be ready for the new season. The complex will be on 70 decares. Investor is the International Technical Complex St Ivan. The complex will host family residential buildings and a four star hotel part with swimming pools, tennis courts and even horseback riding site. A new vacation village is also being constructed close by the resort’s stadium, but it won’t be ready until New Year. “Tampelier” complex is ready. It became famous for the fact that Hristo Stoichkov owns an apartment there. For the moment there is a balance between the capacity of the hotels and that of the ski equipment, said Kravarov. Over 200 sites are being constructed at the moment. This number does no include the houses and family hotels which are also being developed. Over 200 are the individual restaurants, mechanas, and this number does not include the restaurants of the hotels. According to speculations over 400 000 people had their winter holiday in Bansko, during the last season. Around 100 000 were the visitors during the summer. Kravarov said that he is expecting a growth in the number of holidaymakers during the new season. However it wouldn’t be like last year’s. The main reason is that Bansko has now reached its capacity. The summer center- Bansko is also about to be developed. At least one or two golf- playgrounds are about to be constructed. At the moment the first terrain is being developed in Razlog. The construction works in the resort will be stopped after December 20th. A special order for the ceasing of the construction works will be announces by the mayor Alexander Kravarov. Only the finishing works will be allowed. This will be during the opening of the new season in Bansko- between 15th and 20th December. The huge construction will inevitably lead to water shortage during the next year, warned Kravarov. There are already problems with the drain system. There is already a project for additional water supply from the Karamanica site, just below Damianitsa chalet, but they were still waiting for the decision of the Ministry. It we do not decide the problem with the water supply till the Summer, we will have to temporary stop the construction works in Bansko, announced Kravarov. According to the legislation for territory plans- a two year prohibition for construction works could be brought to enterprisers. During that time the municipal council should accept a new resort plan.