Timaru-Tekapo cycle trail plan gets big boost
A $500,000 grant has given major impetus to the first stage of a new cycle trail from Timaru to Tekapo, with a start expected early this year.
‘‘We hope to go to tender next month,’’ Central South Island Cycle Trail spokesman Simon Bird said.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) approved funding of $500,000 in late 2020 for the building of a 14 kilometrelong first stage, a shared use path between Washdyke and Pleasant Point.
‘‘It’s part of funding to support walking and cycling initiatives around the country,’’ an NZTA spokeswoman said.
The project had been kickstarted when the Central South Island Cycle Trail successfully applied to the Timaru District Council’s Covid-19 stimulus fund and received $226,358.
With strong funding secured from NZTA and the council, Bird said they were now moving to get the project up and running.
‘‘The first stage will be from Sir Basil Arthur Park at Washdyke to Pleasant Point into the township.
‘‘We gave ourselves the ambition of doing the first portion by the end of 2021. ‘‘That optimism has been successful and it has spurred us on.’’
He said they had been budgeting in the vicinity of $750,000 to $800,000 as the cost for the first stage.
‘‘We’ll get the prices by early March and will know with greater certainty then,’’ Bird said.
The long-term goal was to have the trail running from Timaru to Tekapo and connecting with the Alps 2 Ocean trail, which connects Oamaru to the Aoraki/ Mt Cook National Park.
In its funding application to the council last year, the cycle trail society said connecting to the Alps 2 Ocean would enable and support a network of trails in and around the Central South Island.
‘‘Approval in principle has been given by NZTA for the portions (from Timaru to Pleasant Point) within the road reserve, from LINZ (Land Information New Zealand) for the portions within Crown land, and from the two private landowners whose portions of properties are required.
‘‘This results in an entirely off carriageway trail to Pleasant Point. Many other adjoining landowners along this portion have also been consulted,’’ the funding application said.
The long-term goal is to have the trail running from Timaru to Tekapo and connecting with the Alps 2 Ocean trail.