Author Topic: Bit of info please  (Read 15200 times)

madjock

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Re: Bit of info please
« Reply #45 on: May 23, 2008, 09:55:35 AM »
Your very welcome Joan ;D  Ilived in the area from 1975 until 1990, when i joined the Royal Navy. My parents used to live in Newtonmore until 1996 then they moved back to Cleveland.  I havn't been back since 2001 but i am looking forward to going to a Kingussie High School reunion in August/Spetember time this year.

Offline Tarquin Thunderthighs lll

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Re: Bit of info please
« Reply #46 on: May 23, 2008, 10:15:04 AM »
Yes, I also fondly recall trips to the ski centre in Aviemore when it was brand new and a was a child (sorry, Lil!). I recall in particular the giant 'dishes' fountain in the heart of the complex, and small coin-operated electric cars for kids to race around the hexagonal paving slabs on the central plaza. It was a hugely exciting place for kids of all ages back then.

It had all gone into steep decline by the time I bought my time-share week up at the new Dalfaber Village annex, and over the past 20+ years I've been going up there, I've seen it dragged even further down, with the demolition of the last few remaining 'attractions', namely the swimming pool, ice rink, cinema, and finally the go-cart track. However, in the past three or four years, there seems to have been a bit of an upturn, with a new shopping complex put in (albeit at tourist prices), a number of new and varied holiday accommodation blocks, and a beautiful new swimming pool. The signs of growth are there.

Of course, Aviemore's biggest problem has been the change in climate over the years, with no guarantee of good skiing weather any more, coupled with the ease of access to slopes all over Europe and the rest of the world these days. But then that never was the attraction for me, and I think it's successful repackaging will have far more to do with it being the gateway to some of the most outstanding natural beauty on the planet, which it undoubtedly is. If you've never been, you're missing out!

End of nostalgic travelogue - sorry!
I apologise, in advance.

madjock

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Re: Bit of info please
« Reply #47 on: May 23, 2008, 11:10:19 AM »
There was talk of the centre, a few years back now, that it was going to be all enclosed, but nothing ever came of it.  And I have heard that the new swimming pool there, is very expensive and not that good either.  And I didn't know that they had taken away the go-kart track either, shame, because I used to love them as a kid :(

Offline Tarquin Thunderthighs lll

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Re: Bit of info please
« Reply #48 on: May 23, 2008, 11:16:32 AM »
And I have heard that the new swimming pool there, is very expensive and not that good either. 

Well, it looks great from the outside, MJ, but yes, I do seem to recall it was quite expensive. We didn't use it because the one at Dalfaber is free to residents...not that I'm tight or anything.
I apologise, in advance.

madjock

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Re: Bit of info please
« Reply #49 on: May 23, 2008, 11:24:14 AM »
Dont blame you TTIII, why pay when you dont have to ;D  There are quite a few pettitions on the web, on various sites, to try to get the centre back to its former glory. But like you said, with the weather not as good as it used to be, the chances of that are slim.  Saying that, I regulary look on the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald site, and they reported that this year skiing days were up almost 68% on last season, which cant be a bad thing ;D