THE Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) is planning to rename Alpine Lodge (which they use for athlete accommodation) as the Chumpy Lodge in memory of Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin and to help inspire future athletes.
Providing COVID lockdown has been lifted for this weekend's opening of the 2021 ski season, the lodge will be renamed by a government minister, if travel is allowed.
Mansfield community sentiment was overwhelmingly supportive last year with the name for the new basketball stadium to be 'Alex Pullin Stadium'.
Chumpy Pullin grew up learning to ski and snowboard and from the age of around 13 competed in international snowboarding events gaining world status.
Chumpy died during an early morning swim at the Gold Coast, Queensland where he had made his home.
However, Chumpy always acknowledged Mt Buller as his 'home ski fields' and was remembered at memorial services on Mt Buller and Mansfield.
Mansfield Shire Council at its December 2020 meeting adopted the naming of the stadium.
The new stadium forms part of a sporting precinct that also includes the turf sports grounds colloquially known as the "additional playing fields".
Council unanimously agreed to name the new dual court indoor multi–use sports stadium and the associated outdoor courts the 'Alex Pullin Stadium'.
The date for a naming ceremony as part of the official stadium opening is yet to be decided.
The construction of the new dual court stadium and dual outdoor multipurpose courts commenced early last year.
Council (in September 2020) resolved to acknowledge the tragic passing of a long term and well respected resident Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin and to contact his family to discuss whether they would like council to recognise his outstanding sporting achievements and contribution to our community by naming the new dual court stadium and additional playing fields after him.
The Pullin family provided consent to council's request and a new naming proposal was released to the community for consideration.
When construction of the stadium complex is completed a date will be set for the official naming.
