Ipswich, deep in the heart of Suffolk, is going to be the site of a brand new snowdome – and what its owners are calling the “world’s first winter sports resort” – after developers got the green light to start work in September. ‘SnOasis‘ While obviously we at Whitelines are stoked there’s another dome going to be opening in the next couple of years, we’re not totally sold on that name… The term ‘Oasis’ as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is a ‘fertile or green spot in a desert or wasteland, preserved from surrounding unpleasantness’. I wonder what the locals of Ipswich think of that ;-)

The snowslope at SnOasis is planned to be 415 metres long and 70 metres wide with a 100 metre vertical drop. The entrance is apparently inspired by a fictional book, designed to create the same awe-inspiring landscape of the Shangri-La, and the place offers a wide variety of activities including “skiX, snowboardX, tubing, ice-climbing, speed skating, ice hockey, some shops and an ice museum.” Any ideas what that is?

There has been a bit of local opposition to the project, with a couple of Stop SnOasis Facebook groups springing up, but apart from that terrible name, we can’t really see what the fuss is about. C’mon, it’s got to be better having one more dome really hasn’t it? Think of what it will do for our scene, for getting youngsters in that part of the country stoked on the shred and for developing the Nichollses and Little Ts of the future. We may even see a sheep on skis! We’re waiting for the Youtube video….