Community involvement is needed in a plan to develop mountain biking tracks in 19.7 hectares of ex-forest near Balclutha.
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The trees are gone and now the public will get a chance to say how a former Balclutha forestry block, which overlooks the town, should be developed.
Recreation areas, including cycling and walking tracks, as well as a mix of urban and lifestyle sections are among the ideas proposed for the former North Balclutha forestry plantation.
The 19.7ha block, first planted in 1976, was felled late last year.
The Clutha District Council, which owns the site, has come up with a draft proposal for the land but wants the community to become involved in transforming the bare land into what it believes could be a strong asset for the town.
Council chief executive Charles Hakkaart said the preferred option for now is to subdivide the land into a variety of urban and lifestyle-sized sections.
There were also gullies too steep to subdivide but which could be planted out as a green belt area and used to develop walking and mountain biking tracks.
"There are a number of opportunities - walks up and over the adjacent Johnston Rd would provide spectacular views out over Balclutha and Inch Clutha, while easier walks could be developed at the bottom of the land and mountain bike trails are also possible."
The council wanted to know whether members or groups in the community were interested in developing the area.
Community help could include planting and maintaining the green belt, developing walking and cycling tracks, donating materials and getting naming rights to a walking-cycling track, providing seating at key vantage points and organising working bees to clear any gorse and broom that might grow.
Stumps in the area were being removed to prepare the land for pasture and the area would then be fenced.
"Any subdivision would occur over time and, in the meantime, the land would have to be managed and kept free of noxious weeds," Mr Hakkaart said.
The council was very interested to hear what the community thinks of the proposal.
"There is a real opportunity for the gully areas to be developed and used for recreation purposes, which would be a real asset and possible attraction for Balclutha.
However, without the community's involvement, it is likely that these gullies will simply be planted out to manage noxious weeds."
Anyone with views on the proposal can email the council at help.desk[at]cluthadc.govt.nz or contact the council directly on (03) 419-0200.
The Youth Council will debate the issue at its meeting tonight. |
