Bay Harbour: November 22, 2023
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Wednesday <strong>November</strong> <strong>22</strong> <strong>2023</strong> <strong>Bay</strong> <strong>Harbour</strong> News<br />
• By Dylan Smits<br />
EXTENSIVE repairs to the<br />
Taylors Escape Mountain<br />
Biking Trail are set to be<br />
completed today, ensuring<br />
enhanced accessibility and safety<br />
for riders.<br />
Over the past year, volunteers<br />
have bridged 15 large holes with<br />
wood, laid pipes for drainage and<br />
cleared the track of plant growth<br />
and debris.<br />
Said Taylors Mistake Association<br />
member Malcolm McClurg<br />
said: “With all the track maintenance<br />
it should be easily ridden<br />
all year round.”<br />
McClurg has worked with<br />
other local volunteers to address<br />
developing issues since the track<br />
opened in September last year.<br />
He said when the track was<br />
built it lacked bridges and drainage<br />
to prevent holes forming in<br />
the dirt.<br />
“Over winter, water ran<br />
down the track with bikes, then<br />
formed deep ruts in the mud.<br />
Heavy winter rain also caused<br />
underground tunnels in the<br />
clay to collapse under the track<br />
with dangerous holes suddenly<br />
appearing.”<br />
Situated on the association’s<br />
land, the track was initially constructed<br />
by volunteers organised<br />
by bach owner Mike Baddeley<br />
and bike clothing company<br />
Ground Effect.<br />
McClurg said the track was<br />
created to serve as an easier<br />
alternative for mountain bikers<br />
in Taylors Mistake.<br />
“Riders do not have to bike<br />
up the Anaconda track, which<br />
is a fast, twisting downhill track<br />
with the potential for dangerous<br />
collisions with uphill riders.”<br />
The 3km track starts at the<br />
Taylors Mistake beach car park<br />
and winds its way up to the<br />
Summit Rd in Godley Head.<br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
MTB trail repairs come to an end<br />
SAFETY: Volunteers have been working hard to improve the Taylors Escape trail. Inset –<br />
(from left) Malcolm McClurg, Stihl Shop Ferrymead manager Michael Caines, VIP Frames &<br />
Trusses director Daniel Caldwell, Ground Effect track organiser Scott Emmen and Ground<br />
Effect track maintainer Dave Mitchell.<br />
It is used by a diverse group<br />
of bikers, walkers and runners,<br />
with McClurg estimating more<br />
than 100 people using it on busy<br />
weekends.<br />
McClurg has received positive<br />
user feedback while working on<br />
the track.<br />
“I get big smiles and thank<br />
yous from riders passing me as<br />
I am working or checking the<br />
track, and many ask how they<br />
could help,” he said.<br />
Outside support for the<br />
maintenance has come from<br />
various sources, he said.<br />
Businesses including VIP<br />
Frames and Trusses and the<br />
Ferrymead Stihl Shop have<br />
contributed timber for the<br />
bridges and a scrub cutter,<br />
respectively.<br />
McClurg said a child-friendly<br />
loop is being planned for<br />
construction next year, based<br />
on community feedback.<br />
• Blind runner completes<br />
NYC marathon, page 18<br />
NEWS 3<br />
In Brief<br />
CITY COUNCIL CHIEF<br />
EXECUTIVE RESIGNS<br />
The city council has accepted the<br />
resignation of its chief executive<br />
Dawn Baxendale. Baxendale’s<br />
resignation, tendered on<br />
<strong>November</strong> 6, was accepted at an<br />
unexpected closed-doors city<br />
council meeting last Wednesday.<br />
Her contract was due to finish in<br />
October next year.<br />
BEACH WATER QUALITY<br />
WARNINGS<br />
As swimming season gets under<br />
way, Te Whatu Ora has warned<br />
the following beaches are unsafe<br />
for swimming due to bacterial<br />
contamination: Akaroa’s main<br />
beach, Corsair <strong>Bay</strong>, Rāpaki <strong>Bay</strong>,<br />
Sandy <strong>Bay</strong>, Diamond <strong>Harbour</strong><br />
beach and Purau beach. Stay up<br />
to date with water quality on the<br />
Can I Swim Here? page of the<br />
Land Water Aotearoa website.<br />
TREE PLANTING<br />
Last week <strong>Bay</strong> <strong>Harbour</strong> News<br />
reported one of the Banks<br />
Peninsula Conservation Trust’s<br />
ecological goals is to plant four<br />
1000ha areas across Banks<br />
Peninsula. Rather, its goal is to<br />
establish four large-scale hubs<br />
of connected and protected<br />
indigenous vegetation, of more<br />
than 1000ha each. Within<br />
these biodiversity hubs some<br />
restoration planting may be<br />
carried out in small areas.<br />
What’s on!<br />
THIS WEEK<br />
HIKING BOOTS<br />
& SHOES<br />
FRONT ROOM CAFE<br />
Great coffee and views<br />
Mon - Sat 8.30am-1.30pm<br />
FARMERS MARKET<br />
Delicious local food<br />
Saturdays 9am-12 noon<br />
For men, women<br />
and children<br />
From<br />
$79.95<br />
to $250<br />
View<br />
the menu<br />
FOOD TRUCK ALLEY<br />
Sundays 4pm - 8pm<br />
Great Food and Music<br />
3 McCormack's <strong>Bay</strong> Rd. www.mpcc.org.nz<br />
47c Garlands Road, Woolston<br />
Phone 389 3431<br />
www.thefootwearfactory.co.nz<br />
www.smokenbarrel.com<br />
SMOKENBARRELNZ<br />
STIHL SHOP<br />
FERRYMEAD<br />
OPEN 7 DAYS<br />
MON - FRI: 8.30AM - 5.30PM<br />
SAT/SUN: 9.00AM - 3.00PM<br />
987 FERRY ROAD, FERRYMEAD<br />
PH: 03 376 4656<br />
WWW.STIHLSHOP.CO.NZ/FERRYMEAD
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