Bay Harbour: November 23, 2016

Wednesday November 23 2016
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 13
at new Port Hills leisure park
“We’ll have to go to market
to secure funding for the next
phase,” Mr Charity said.
He said the developers,
manufacturers and contractors
had crammed 20 months of work
into eight, just to get the park
open as a Christmas present for
Christchurch.
There could be up to 150
contractors on site each day,
while there were another 100
people working on it off site, he
said.
Construction began in April,
and already, the early bird season
pass tickets have sold out.
More tickets aimed at casual
users and families will be
released this month.
What’s more is the park is on
schedule and on budget, he said.
“We set a budget four years ago
and we’re still delivering on it. It’s
extremely tight.”
The majority of the new tracks
had been carved – some with
diggers, but the more technical
ones have been built by hand,
with the help of volunteers armed
with shovels and rakes.
Each jump has been designed
by engineers.
The 8km green track has a
gradient of about 3-4 per cent,
while the 5km blue track is about
5-6 per cent.
FITS IN: The cafe and bar is being built by Amalgamated Builders out of douglas fir – the same timber as the trees that surrounds it.
The hardest – the 5km black
track – is where the jumps are
introduced and is for more
experienced riders.
Riders from the age of seven
can have a go at mountain biking
at the park, and a track will be
installed for under five-year-olds
next to the cafe.
Mr Charity said the park
would get more people outdoors
and into the sport.
There would be 16 coaches at
the park, and mountain bikes
and safety equipment could be
hired, he said.
“This is a sport progression
park.”
But it’s not just for mountain
and downhill biking.
There is also a walking track,
you could enjoy a coffee or a
drink at the cafe and bar, not to
mention the activities for thrill
seekers.
Four dual zip lines have been
installed in different parts of the
park – with one being 180m off
the ground.
At 1.8km, the electric-powered
chairlift will be the largest in
New Zealand, with the ability
to hold 56 chairs at any one
time. At the top, it will be 450m
high. People will be able to ride
the chairlift to get to the top of
the park, where they can either
use the tracks to come down,
head up to the Summit Rd, or
ride the zip lines down.
Four people could fit in each
chair, with a stand for them to
park their bikes in.
Mr Charity said the douglas fir
trees below the chairlift had to
be cut down before a drone was
used to take footage of the route.
It was then sent over to
Austrian manufacturer
Doppelmayr, which built the
towers before shipping them to
Lyttelton, he said.
Mr Charity said contractors
spent three months doing
concrete work in preparation
for the tower installation, which
took a month. At the entrance
to the park, three douglas fir
timber buildings sit amongst the
forestry, housing the ticketing
reception, the hire facilities and a
cafe and bar, which could seat up
to 180 people.
Mr Charity said the cafe
and bar would stock local
produce and drinks, including
Cassels and Sons Brewery beer
and wine from Black Estate,
Waipara.
“It has to feel like
Christchurch,” he said.
•Turn to page 14
Cafe open from 11am
TAB & Gaming
Function Facilities
HOUSIE
Tuesday, Thursday,
Saturday
SHUTTLE
Tuesday - Saturday
A classic, contemporary Club experience
Open 7 Days from 5.30pm
LIVE
ENTERTAINMENT
THIS FRIDAY
SMOOTH TALK
7pm in the Whitford’s Bar
THIS SATURDAY
BARN DANCE
7pm in the Sports Bar,
$10 entry
RETRO ROAST
LUNCH
12PM-1.30PM
WEDNESDAYS
$10 Members / $12 Non