Council, govt support for Kaiko¯ura trail
The dream of a coastal cycle trail from Marlborough to Kaiko¯ ura is another step closer to becoming a reality. The cycle trail project received a $2 million funding commitment from the Marlborough District Council with the money coming from the council’s forestry and land development reserve.
Marlborough Kaiko¯ura Cycle Trust spokesperson Dr John Forrest said the trust also received support from the new coalition Government. Council rates would contribute $169,000 from 2019-2022 for ongoing maintenance of the Marlborough section of the trail and ratepayers would continue to pay for maintenance in subsequent years.
‘‘It really confirms that the council now has confidence in the economic reliability of the trail and its economic potential for the Marlborough region,’’ Forrest said.
The trust had meetings with the Government and Forrest said it was supportive of the project.
‘‘I’ve been in Wellington twice discussing with various Government ministers ... there’s a real interaction between the trail trust and Government departments that should see ultimately see the project be successful and be delivered.
‘‘I’ve had discussions with Julie-ann Genter the Associate Transport Minister and the Greens spokesperson for cycling and she’s 100 per cent behind the project and [has] been extremely helpful,’’ Forrest said.
He said other political supporters of the project included West Coast-tasman MP Damien O’connor, Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene and the Kaiko¯ ura MP Stuart Smith.
The decision to grant funding to the cycle trail did not go unchallenged in last Monday’s full council meeting as councillor Geoff Evans disagreed with the timing of the project.
‘‘At the present time, with State Highway 1 in the situation that it
"We feel we've finally got some forward momentum." Dr John Forrest
is, there is a lot of planning that’s got to take place and a lot of things this council could help NCTIR [North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery] with.
‘‘NCTIR have done a wonderful job in opening it up, but at the moment I don’t think we’re ready to start another project that’s going to impact on that. All our energy should be on making SH1 resilient,’’ he said.
There was ‘‘excitement’’ about what the trail can do to the regions, Forrest said.
‘‘We feel we’ve finally got some forward momentum with the new Government which is very important to the success of the trail. The long-term vision is to have it from Ship Cove, linking with the Link pathway and Queen Charlotte Track to Cathedral Square, that will become possible once our [Marlborough to Kaiko¯ ura] trail is completed,’’ Forrest said.
The cycle trail trust planned to complete investigations into the cycle trail in May.
‘‘It’s a complex and challenging process to put together a strategic plan that’s got all the elements the plan needs in the relatively short timeframe. We’re acutely aware of what we’ve got to deliver to give certainty to the council around funding,’’ Forrest said.
Building the Marlborough section of the trail was estimated to cost $6 million and the trust aimed to complete the trail by 2020. The total cost of the trail was estimated at $10 million.
Last year, the trail received $600,000 from the Ra¯ ta¯ Foundation. A feasibility study showed over a period of 20 years, the cycle trail would generate between $67.726m and $131.69m in regional income and attract 18,000 to 35,000 visitors to the region.