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Two new injections of funding have been secured to help stave off fears of closure for Hillend.
We have been successful in obtaining national backing for Britain's longest dry ski slope.
The centre's future had been in question after the council, one of Scotland's smallest, indicated last year it could no longer afford to indefinitely subsidise the national snowsports facility.
sportscotland, the national agency for sport in Scotland, has worked with Midlothian Council to secure the future of the centre, culminating in an offer of funding of £533,000, while the Scottish Government has approved the release of £400,000 revenue funding to support the use of the centre by children in the Edinburgh and Lothians area through the sportscotland Active Schools programme.
The £533,000 funding will be used to cement Hillend's excellent reputation as the breeding ground for tomorrow's champion and recreational skiers and snowboarders.
Olympic skiers Finlay Mickel and Alain Baxter have used the slope extensively in the past, as has Pamela Thorburn, Britain's number 2 female skier, pictured above with Council Leader Derek Milligan.
Councillor Milligan on what the new funding means to the snowsports centre:
- Further information about the funding (media release)
