Mountain bike enthusiasts are invited to have their say about the Bluff Hill Motupōhue Active Recreational Precinct as concept designs are revealed.
Wānaka-based mountain bike trail construction company Dirt Dynamics have come on board to design and build more than 10km of mountain bike and walking tracks on Bluff Hill Motupōhue.
Last year, the project was given a funding boost of $981,380 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to go alongside $547,000 from the Long-term Plan.
The concept includes mountain bike trails for adrenaline junkies of various expertise, as well as walking tracks for those looking to take things a bit more casually. At the bottom of the hill will also be a car park and toilet block.
Group Manager Leisure and Recreation Steve Gibling said it was exciting to see Motupōhue transform into a recreation area with something for everyone.
“This park will be an absolute drawcard for Bluff and I’m looking forward to seeing people from all over the motu and the world coming to enjoy our recreational precinct.
“Dirt Dynamics have already proven their worth with the amazing work they’ve done at Glendu Bay and I can’t wait to see this concept come to life in Bluff.”
He invited the community to view the designs and share their comments about the draft concept plans on the Let’s Talk website: Bluff Hill Motupōhue Active Recreation Precinct – DraftConcept Plans | Let’s talk Invercargill (icc.govt.nz)
Community consultation will be held between 3 July and 4 August.
A public drop-in session will be held on Thursday 13 July at the Bluff Senior Citizens Centre from 7pm to hear more information.
Wānaka-based Dirt Dynamics has worked on more than 50km of trails across 1000 hectares for Bike Glendu, at Glendu Bay, which was completed in 2015. They have also worked with councils, bike parks, bike clubs, and Department of Conservation, amongst others, to create all types of trails and tracks, all of which have a focus on sustainable trail building.
Construction project management Logic Group Project Manager James Crawford said while this wasn’t a “business as usual” project for the Group, it gave them the opportunity to add to their project management experience as well as extensive mountain bike knowledge.
Crawford, a keen cyclist, said there was personal ownership and investment in the Precinct from all those on the design team.
“Personally, I’ve spent a bit of time at mountain bike events in Bluff and around New Zealand over the decades. Motupōhue is a special space to be. What stands out is the pride and the teamwork in the tight-knit community.
“It’s a privilege to be improving the track network and facilities for the people of Bluff, Southland, and New Zealand.”
The new design would have tracks of national significance and he was looking forward to seeing the enjoyment the community would get from using the tracks and trails.
“The opportunities to show this off to New Zealand and the world are going to be epic.”
