NSW Government ends plans for Lake Ainsworth Olympic Training Centre

The NSW Government has announced that its proposed Winter Olympic ski-jump training ramp is not to proceed at the proposed Lake Ainsworth site.

The NSW Office of Sport has formally withdrawn the Development Application for the proposed multipurpose sports facility at Lennox Head that it has submitted to the Ballina Shire Council.

The plan had been dogged by considerable community opposition following the Office of Sport having earlier this year released images showing a 38-metre structure towering above the sand dunes at Lake Ainsworth.

The plan for a centre of excellence for snow ski-jumping was launched almost a year ago with the support of Olympic gold medallist Lydia Lassila. In doing so, the NSW Government picked up on a plan originally proposed for the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane but dropped by the Queensland Government in 2012.

Investigations are set to start shortly for a new location for the facility, with suggestions that the facility be included as part of a sports precincy in the Northern NSW town of Lismore.

However, the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia is believed to favour the facility being built in Melbourne, where it is based, potentially at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Image: The NSW Office of Sport's now scrapped plan for the Lake Ainsworth Olympic ski jump facility. 

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