Hauraki District councillors are considering whether to develop a mountain bike park on a council-owned forestry block south of Waitakaruru.
A report tabled at the council’s general meeting on February 11 said a decision was due on the future of the West Water Forest Block, a 69.9ha section of land adjacent to the Steen Rd quarry. The pine trees currently planted on the site have reached maturity, and harvesting is due to finish in March.
The report said the site could be “re-imagined into a recreational reserve for the enjoyment of the community” with bike trails, and recommended public expressions of interest be sought for private enterprises willing to develop and maintain such a facility.
Councillors debated the report, questioning whether there would be enough public interest to justify the costs of reclassifying the block as an active reserve and building a bike track.
Councillor Ray Broad said the idea was worth pursuing, but suggested it should be privately run to avoid ongoing costs falling to the ratepayer.
The councillors chose to seek registrations of interest in a mountain bike park, and will review the feedback at a later date.
The forestry block also needs replanting, whether or not a mountain bike park goes ahead, councillors were told.
Most of the councillors were in favour of replanting the area with native trees rather than pine.
Māori Ward councillor Des Tyler emphasised the need for soil testing to ensure native plants could survive in an area previously populated with pine, and councillors agreed to look into the comparative costs of each option before reaching a decision.
Meanwhile, another report tabled at the meeting confirmed variable speed limit signs will be installed outside all schools in the Hauraki District during the April school holidays.
The installation of the signs is a Ministry of Transport requirement and will cost around $167,000, with 61 per cent of the cost being funded by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).
The council will also be undertaking $950,000 worth of work along East Coast Rd in Kaiaua over the next two years, for upgrades and coastal protection.
The report also identified a section of unsealed road in Komata which needs urgent maintenance. The 1.15km section at the end of Goble Rd services five rural properties, and is currently an “unsafe driving corridor”, the report said.
Council records stated maintenance of the section was not the responsibility of the property owners nor of council, the meeting heard. However, due to the current state of the road and its status as the only way to access the properties, the council has now added it to its maintenance network.
Service delivery manager Adrian de Laborde said the oversight in responsibility was likely an anomaly from past software system updates.
