Skifield rebuild under way after $10m arson attack

The reconstruction of buildings destroyed in a $10 million arson attack at Whakapapa skifield is under way as Mt Ruapehu gears up for the ski season.

Police are seeking the arsonist who burned the three-storey Knoll Ridge Chalet and an equipment shed, about 200m away, to the ground in February.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts marketing manager Mike Smith said about six weeks were spent on the cleanup with about 20 tonnes of debris carried out by helicopter.

A temporary one-storey building is being created. The walls are up, wooden decking outside the chalet has been rebuilt and 16 covered-in toilets have been flown in.

Heavy snow this month hampered efforts to lay the roof on the new building but it was now in place.

Windows were being flown up yesterday and today and electricians were wiring the building.

The new cafeteria will seat up to 100 people inside and 150 on the decking.

Work is to start on the interior of the building within the next week in the hope it will be completed in time for the planned skifield opening - June 27.

"I think customers will be quite surprised," Mr Smith said.

"It's certainly not a shed, a portable building or something like that."

It is hoped the chalet will be completely rebuilt to its former size by next year. Concrete foundations from the old chalet had been crushed for reuse.

To create more seating areas at the mountain - the old chalet housed a 500-seat cafeteria and another 150 seats outside - the mid-mountain Schuss Haus Cafe, out of service for the past few years, will be reopened with a food caravan parked on the outside decking area. About 100 seats will be set up inside.

Another eatery at the base of the mountain - Lorenz's Bar & Cafe - will have its deck expanded, seating an extra 80 to 100 people.

A range of food caravans will also join the base area this year with more outdoor seating created.

Two new snow groomers have been bought - from Australia and Germany - to replace the three $500,000 models which were lost in the burnt equipment shed. They are due to arrive in the country next week.

The shed is not being rebuilt, meaning the groomers will have to be taken to a vehicle workshop at the base of the mountain about 2km away for servicing.

"It will mean a further distance to travel and not as easy to service those vehicles if something breaks down in the night," Mr Smith said.

"It's certainly not as convenient but it's a solution."

It was lucky most of the grooming fleet were being serviced in the National Park at the time of the fire, he said.

Mr Smith said they hoped to start snowmaking after this weekend.

"We've had quite good snowfall, it's come and gone and come and gone but certainly sticking around on the higher slopes."