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Typical Mountain Bikers: Irked that They Aren't Allowed to Trespass!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundays...226a6497.html:
Trespass threat to cyclists Auckland City Harbour News | Wednesday, 25 July 2007 Email a Friend | Printable View | Have Your Say URBAN ACTION: Mountain bikers are campaigning hard for a city trail. Related Links • Subscribe to Archivestuff • Have your say A row over urban mountain biking is 'coming to a head', with the group behind an illegal trail threatened with trespass notices. Members of the Underground Trailblazers created a 250-metre track at the West View Rd end of Western Springs after becoming frustrated with a lack of action by Auckland City Council. Council parks officer Graham Marchant says staff have prepared 'a few dozen' notices, which will be given to police to serve to anyone building tracks. "We're getting advice on what to do further than that." Trailblazers leader Peter Stoneham says he got fed up of waiting after eight years of fruitless discussions with Transit and the council. "We went through due process," he says. "I've been proactive and trying to get stuff done but the only way is to make it political." Mountain bikers claim their sport is the fastest-growing in New Zealand. Sport and Recreation New Zealand figures from 2001 show 12 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds and 6 percent of all adults went mountain biking every year. Auckland Mountainbike Club president Geoff Olliff says the club has more than 800 members. He says the number of people taking up the sport is 'greater than rugby and soccer put together' but there are far fewer facilities for them. There are several bush areas with biking trails in the Auckland region, but none near the city centre. The council drew up a mountain bike policy in 2001, which aims to 'support, encourage and acknowledge mountain biking as a worthwhile recreation and competition activity'. Trailblazers created the Western Springs track late last year but it's back on the agenda after complaints from nearby residents. Submissions from Charles Joseph, Annette Isby and Louise Rive went before the Western Bays Community Board last week. Ms Rive says trees were damaged when the track was built and the council has an obligation to enforce the law. "If the choice is made to not do so, and to ignore our concerns, you are abandoning the residents that you represent to the mercy of bullies who are prepared to be belligerent and use the tactics of intimidation," she wrote. Board chairman Graeme Easte says the council is tolerating Trailblazers in an attempt to minimise their damage. "Council staff have extracted various promises from them on what damage they can do." The board ordered an urgent update on the council's efforts to provide legal trails. "Matters are definitely coming to a head," Mr Easte says. Council arts and recreation committee chairwoman Penny Sefuiva says she can understand the Trailblazers? frustration. But she says there's a 'serious commitment' to finding a suitable council-owned site where non-cyclists won't be affected. "We haven't been sitting on our hands. We have the staff resources allocated to it and we want to find a solution." Ms Sefuiva says Mr Stoneham doesn't represent all mountain bikers and the council is working closely with the Auckland Mountainbike Club. Mr Marchant says options will go to the committee in September. -- I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.) Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of! http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande |
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Damn hikers
Safety tips credited with saving woman from cougar
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/07/26/4369108-sun.html Edmonton Sun - Alberta, Canada By CARTER HAYDU, SUN MEDIA Reading about hiking safety likely saved the life of a Spruce Grove woman confronted by a cougar in Kootenay National Park, .... |
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