Preparation for an event like the Olympics takes years, especially for the winter games, considering so many sports involve snow.
Channel 11 sat down with a local snowmaking company that is already preparing for the 2034 Winter Olympics here in the U.S.
“It is wild to think that the snowmaking that was developed at Seven Springs in Champion, Pa., population 220, is now used all over the world,” HKD Snowmakers Finance Director Anni Dupre Santry said.
They’re called HKD snow towers, and they’re all over the world. Pittsburgh native Herman Dupre invented the machines that are now used at over 750 ski resorts worldwide. And even though they won’t be in this year’s Olympics, they will be in the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Santry, Dupre’s daughter, says her father got the idea from the inconsistent weather he saw in Western Pennsylvania.
“He was just a problem solver. And one of the problems in western Pennsylvania is the lack of natural snow,” Santry said.
Whether it’s Nordic or alpine skiing, snowboarding or the biathlon, nearly 70% of Winter Olympics events involve snow. HKD snowmakers said they’ve already started preparations for Salt Lake City.
“We are starting now to put the infrastructure in to make sure the venues have the right amount of snow,” Santry said.
Herman’s invention uses one-tenth the amount of energy as a typical snowmaker, making the product a popular energy saver for resorts and games like the Olympics. Workers built the machines in the Steel City for decades until 2012, when they moved production. Still, HKD employs several Pittsburghers each year.
Santry said she’s thrilled to watch the games this year, especially to check in on the snow conditions. She said she’s also looking forward to seeing inspired new skiers on the slopes after the games begin.
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