Oliver McCoy
15.11.2006, 13:28
With the onset of winter, so begin daydreams of the sharp Sar mountain air and picturesque mountain scenery from the Brezovica slopes. Additionally, I fantasize about waist-deep, untouched powder runs and the possibilities of finally landing that 360 this season.
Having become a Brezovica snowboard enthusiast since my first visit to the slopes in 2002, I understand that not every day is the embodiment of perfection. I am also keenly aware that Brezovica, for all its awesome potential, is mired in deficiency and ambiguity – deficient in how the ski centre is organized and ambiguous in that the unresolved legal status of the centre equates to a lack of maintenance and investment. Should the lifts run in 2006-2007, those of us who know the helter-skelter ambiance expect a poorly maintained access road, catastrophic parking, litter and garbage strewn across the slopes, and a rugby scrum for what should be a lift line.
Detractors and ambiguity aside, those of us who return to Brezovica again and again do so not because it’s perfect or even close to “European Standard,” but because there is something incredibly special about the place, its unkempt, dare I say extreme, slopes and the down-home fellowship generated by Brezovica’s local community.
In terms of the big picture, I have my doubts that there is anything citizen enthusiasts such as myself can do in order to resolve the legal status issues of the INEX / Molika Ski Centre. For all I know deliberations about Kosovo and its publicly/socially-owned enterprises could go on for years. I do believe, however, that there are a number of smallish activities that could be initiated in the interim that could improve the winter season experience for all of us and masses of winter season visitors.
Before any concrete action is undertaken I wanted to consult the community in order to compose a list of short-term measures / possibilities, which could improve the ski season experience. Here is a list of potential improvements that I have together, and I encourage contributions as my ideas are anything but exhaustive:
1) Rubbish Cans / “Do Not Litter” Signs – One of the major reasons people flock to Brezovica is because of its natural beauty. Why is it then that when people visit they are so keen to throw their trash and rubbish all over the slopes? I do not have the answer to such a rhetorical question, but I do think that strategically placed trash receptacles and reminder signs in Kosovo’s languages could help reduce the tendency to litter the slopes with garbage. In addition, a responsible person or organization should be identified and supported in order to empty the garbage receptacles and/or to see that recycling occurs.
2) Parking / Access Road Maintenance – For any of us who travel up and down the mountain during the winter season, the travelling experience is both dangerous and frustrating. Dangerous because a large number of vehicles without four wheel drive or without proper snow equipment attempt to navigate their way up the mountain. Inevitably this leads to car accidents and hours spent waiting for local police to arrive. This experience results in the loss of time and affects a visitors disposition toward returning to Brezovica when places like Kapaonik and Borovitz are relatively close proximity. I ain’t a transportation specialist, but it is reasonable to assume that the access road to the Brezovica Ski Centre was not designed to accommodate the in excess of 1000 vehicles daily. That being the case, local officials should explore other transportation options, such as allowing only authorized vehicles up and down the access road. Weekend visitors could be routed to a bus line that travels back and forth between the Brezovica Ski Centre and the Narcis Hotel. Visitors would pay a bus fare and pay a nominal day parking fee. People having homes on the mountain or who are day proprietors would be granted access once a permit/documentation is obtained. Again, I ain’t an expert, but I know an awful lot of potentially paying weekend tourist who opt not to come to Brezovica simply because it is too much of a hassle to make it up the hill. The Strpce Municipality, the Police, and the INEX should form a task force responsible for making and implementing winter season recommendations.
3) Please continue . . . .
Regards,
Oliver.
Having become a Brezovica snowboard enthusiast since my first visit to the slopes in 2002, I understand that not every day is the embodiment of perfection. I am also keenly aware that Brezovica, for all its awesome potential, is mired in deficiency and ambiguity – deficient in how the ski centre is organized and ambiguous in that the unresolved legal status of the centre equates to a lack of maintenance and investment. Should the lifts run in 2006-2007, those of us who know the helter-skelter ambiance expect a poorly maintained access road, catastrophic parking, litter and garbage strewn across the slopes, and a rugby scrum for what should be a lift line.
Detractors and ambiguity aside, those of us who return to Brezovica again and again do so not because it’s perfect or even close to “European Standard,” but because there is something incredibly special about the place, its unkempt, dare I say extreme, slopes and the down-home fellowship generated by Brezovica’s local community.
In terms of the big picture, I have my doubts that there is anything citizen enthusiasts such as myself can do in order to resolve the legal status issues of the INEX / Molika Ski Centre. For all I know deliberations about Kosovo and its publicly/socially-owned enterprises could go on for years. I do believe, however, that there are a number of smallish activities that could be initiated in the interim that could improve the winter season experience for all of us and masses of winter season visitors.
Before any concrete action is undertaken I wanted to consult the community in order to compose a list of short-term measures / possibilities, which could improve the ski season experience. Here is a list of potential improvements that I have together, and I encourage contributions as my ideas are anything but exhaustive:
1) Rubbish Cans / “Do Not Litter” Signs – One of the major reasons people flock to Brezovica is because of its natural beauty. Why is it then that when people visit they are so keen to throw their trash and rubbish all over the slopes? I do not have the answer to such a rhetorical question, but I do think that strategically placed trash receptacles and reminder signs in Kosovo’s languages could help reduce the tendency to litter the slopes with garbage. In addition, a responsible person or organization should be identified and supported in order to empty the garbage receptacles and/or to see that recycling occurs.
2) Parking / Access Road Maintenance – For any of us who travel up and down the mountain during the winter season, the travelling experience is both dangerous and frustrating. Dangerous because a large number of vehicles without four wheel drive or without proper snow equipment attempt to navigate their way up the mountain. Inevitably this leads to car accidents and hours spent waiting for local police to arrive. This experience results in the loss of time and affects a visitors disposition toward returning to Brezovica when places like Kapaonik and Borovitz are relatively close proximity. I ain’t a transportation specialist, but it is reasonable to assume that the access road to the Brezovica Ski Centre was not designed to accommodate the in excess of 1000 vehicles daily. That being the case, local officials should explore other transportation options, such as allowing only authorized vehicles up and down the access road. Weekend visitors could be routed to a bus line that travels back and forth between the Brezovica Ski Centre and the Narcis Hotel. Visitors would pay a bus fare and pay a nominal day parking fee. People having homes on the mountain or who are day proprietors would be granted access once a permit/documentation is obtained. Again, I ain’t an expert, but I know an awful lot of potentially paying weekend tourist who opt not to come to Brezovica simply because it is too much of a hassle to make it up the hill. The Strpce Municipality, the Police, and the INEX should form a task force responsible for making and implementing winter season recommendations.
3) Please continue . . . .
Regards,
Oliver.