Sudbury ski hills need lift in users

Thanks to a recent deposit of fluffy white stuff on the Greater Sudbury area, the citys downhill ski season is officially underway and bringing hope to city officials.

The city hopes to capitalize on an early season and plans on encouraging people to use its slopes.

The three city-run ski hills are expected to lose about $235,000 this year a trend it's hoping to reverse.

While Coun. Jacques Barbeau said he strongly supports Greater Sudbury's ski hills, he said more needs to be done to promote their use.

"We have to encourage people to use them," Barbeau said.

"If we aren't going to utilize them, we would have to consider closing them."

The Adanac ski hill opened a week earlier than last year and the citys manager of recreation, Cindy Dent, said this is a good sign.

"If we have a good Christmas season, [it can] really add to the bulk of numbers that we can take advantage of," she said.

City resident Isabelle Quail says shes taking advantage of the early ski hill opening.

"It's been great. It's nice," she said.

"There's a lot of snow."

She said she'll be on the slopes of Sudbury as much as she can this season.

"It's just my getaway," she said.

"I love being here. It's just the wind in your face and snow everywhere, and it's just so much fun."