About Us

Welcome to the Val Bialas Sports Center located at 220 Memorial Parkway, Utica, NY 13501. There are 2 cities in the USA with ski areas wholy contained in their borders. Utica is one. After 60 years of city of Utica running the Parkway, the center was finally privatized. The 2011-2012 season will be the third year that the Val Bialas Sports Center, Inc is owned by J. Mark Ford.

In 1954, this center was dedicated to Utica's own Val Bialas. Val was a 3 time Olympian from Utica NY.

He competed in the speed skating events at the 1924, 1928 and 1932 Winter Olympic games. Val was actually on his way to the US Time Trials for the 1936 Olympics with 3 other Olympians, when their car was involved in an accident with a train. Val lost one of his legs, but not his spirit. Val later became an accomplished golfer, and was later appointed Commissioner of Parks for the City of Utica. You will now find pictures of Val throughout the ski chalet. Ice skating has also returned to the area that bears his name.

Last winter, while watching the 2010 Winter Olympics, I saw the best talent that America had to offer. I paid alot of attention to the snow boarders, and grew alot of respect for those young people. I thought, 'Utica deserves more than one Olympian'. I intend to give our young people a chance. We are going to put Val Bialas on the map. We have an advantage over alot of centers. We can dedicate ALOT of space for the snow boarders. Terrain Park with fun features, boarder cross corse, huge table tops, and more. I want to give our extreme boarders a chance to ride quality rails, grab BIG AIR, jumps, flips and inverts. For 2010-2011 we are unleashing Val Bialas