Menai (Lucas Heights) Closed to the Public

mevanz

mevanz

Squid
Next Meeting

I'm just about to check out the facebook page, and was curious to know when/if there is going to be a second meeting? I'm ashamed to have missed the first one - I live 5 minutes from Menai and would definitely be involved in updating and maintaining it. It would be great if we could someday see an organized, legal, co-operative bike park like the Central Coast guys have at Ourimbah. In any case, great work to the organisers for trying to show the world that mountain bikers are interested in doing the right thing socially and environmentally.
 
Nerf Herder

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
At this stage proposals are waiting on internal SSC approvals ... which then needs to be approved via council ... the hoped for Dec date wasn't manageable so hoping for a Feb 2012 date.

Once we know the relevant dates and we get a feel for what action we need to make then we will make contact primarily via the email list ... but also the usual forums and FB etc.

suggest if you haven't already provided email details, please get in contact with either
i) Steve ... via the FB page
ii) Pez via the Sutherland Club
or me Al (Pm on here or email adavid (at) bmorc.com)

On to other news, I attended a stakeholder working group of sorts with regards to the rezoning of west menai as part of the Gandandara Development Proposal held by NSW Infrastructure and Planning.

Some key info related to the development proposal is that the number of dwellings has been reduced I think its down the 2700 dwellings (down from 5K in March 2011 and more recently down from 3K)
The "conservation lands" where current DH trails are, seem to be intact ... which is anticipated given the terrain is too steep for development.
The conservation lands are to be held in perpetuity by GLALC and a conservation partner (I don't know who this is).

There was some talk of other recreational lands to be allocated in addition to the conservation lands ... with mention of MTB, however, I don't think the scale of the lands versus our current proposals has been really absorbed in detail.

There will be an extended public consultation period held from next weeks (say 12 dec 2011) until mid Feb 2012 potentially 16 Mar 2012.

Stake holders and the community will be able to make a formal submission ... with a 5minute submission allocated to all stakeholders of the working group.

what does this all mean ...

We have a mechanism to provide input into the GLALC submission, obviously focusing on access.

note: this is a monitored site ... please be mindful of your comments
 
B

brenda and his bikes

Likes Dirt
Hey everyone,
I'd just like to inquire about the next meeting could some one please give me a date evenly if it's only a rough idea because me and my Dad would like to come along again.
Keep up the good work I look forward to building and riding the trails again soon.
Cheers Brendan
 
Danos

Danos

Likes Bikes
Off-road recreational bike park on agenda at shire council meeting tonight (13/2)

http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/offroad-recreational-bike-park-on-agenda-at-shire-council-meeting-tonight/2451478.aspx


Off-road recreational bike park on agenda at shire council meeting tonight (13/2)

An off-road recreational bike park could be built at the Ridge Sporting Complex at Barden Ridge, under a proposal due to be discussed by Sutherland Shire Council tonight.
It would include a recreational mountain bike trail, a BMX competition track and a dirt jumps park.

Under the proposal the bike track would be built on a five-hectare parcel of land on the southern side of Recreation Drive at a cost of $180,000.

The land was handed over to the council by the Waste Asset Management Corporation (WAMC) in late 2011.

It is unsuitable for playing fields as it was previously used for putrescible fill but a council report said a bike park would be suitable for the site.

The track would reduce the use of illegal trail and dirt jumps in the Royal and Heathcote National Parks and other areas of the shire.

ANSTO banned use of all trails on its land last year and is now working with the council to propose an agreed network of trails.

Menai MP and Sutherland Shire councillor Melanie Gibbons MP supports the off-road bike park for the site.

‘‘I regularly receive requests from local bike enthusiasts for somewhere they can legally use for BMX competitions and dirt jumps. This proposal is the solution to their problem,’’ Ms Gibbons said.
 
willsy01

willsy01

Eats Squid
That's ace.......well done to all those involved, you've outdone yourselves. I'm not a DJer, nor a BMXer......but i'm excited at the mention of it linking to the proposed MTB trail network.
 
higgin_d

higgin_d

Likes Dirt
That's great news.... i expect however that means the end of any chance of any legal XC and the downhill tracks/park out there.

Is this park going to be to the West of the current ovals, or around to the north ??
 
C

chica

Likes Dirt
I believe this action is separate to the Menai MTB park initiative to gain back access to the land opposite ANSTO.
Sutherland Shire Council's Sport and Recreation Officer- Kirin Lindop. was seeking approval from council on the 20th July 2011 to secure a parcel of land at Barden Ridge's Sports Complex (Menai/Lucas Heights area) for a BMX facility, dirt jumps park, and a small mountain bike trail. Looks like it has finally come around to being approved.
Attached is the area that was originally flagged for the BMX/DJ park, not sure if it is the same as what was approved this week
any initiative to get people out riding their bikes is a step in the right direction, now if they could just build some MTB trails!
 

Attachments

Nerf Herder

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
Note: This facility was a council initiative by staff and is complementary but separate to the efforts being made for a formalised trail network. The Ridge Sports complex is a natural focal point given its provision of parking and other facilities. Its an obvious start and end point for a dedicated MTB trail network.

We are still a little up in the air with regards to our Trail network proposal.
 
P

PERREN

Squid
brenda and his bikes said:
Hey everyone,
I'd just like to inquire about the next meeting could some one please give me a date evenly if it's only a rough idea because me and my Dad would like to come along again.
Keep up the good work I look forward to building and riding the trails again soon.
Cheers Brendan
Click to expand...
Hey mate,
Still in the hands of SSCouncil but all inhouse are working on each and every details especially with Ansto. The new BMX is bascially step 1 for us in the great news department as its the start point of the whole proposed mtb park



Cheers

Perren Delacour
 
P

PERREN

Squid
higgin_d said:
That's great news.... i expect however that means the end of any chance of any legal XC and the downhill tracks/park out there.

Is this park going to be to the West of the current ovals, or around to the north ??
Click to expand...
Hey Bud,

This is great for us as its the starting point of the mtb park proposal including DH propsed. Head up this is awesome for us......

Pez
 
Nerf Herder

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
Apologies, for the lack of update. We lost ground over Christmas with holidays and some other business priorities outside of our control and influence. We're trying to re-establish contact and momentum, but we've gotten caught up in some delays just to state the obvious and being a little cryptic.

Sorry again everybody, will update when I have more detail.
 
Nerf Herder

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
I have just spoken to Council contacts and things are again on the move.

Next steps revolve around obtaining formal Council approval for proposals, this is where we will need rider support via email and letter campaign.
The main thrust of proposals are

i) trail rationalisation
- closure of unsustainable trails
- closure of unapproved trails.
ii) conversion of trails to follow IMBA guidelines
iii) utilise club structures and volunteer labour for both Bush rehab, and trail care / construction and maintenance.
- Use riders to self police

Technical descending trails are in scope, understanding that proposals currently do not include old trails on Gandangara Lands.

We are reactivating the ssorc@hotmail.com email with limited use of facebook at this stage. I will be sending an email to all those that provided details at the pre-christmas meeting at the Sutho club. If you have not provided details, please email ssorc.

What you can do now
- pass the message around your groups of riding buddies, local shire clubs etc
- for those continuing to build ... they know where your building, you've seen the bulldozers ... I don't know what else to say.
- reps continue to ask that you keep off the affected trails.
- make sure your email is registered as info will be more detailed in email coms.
 
O

organicrye

Squid
gandangarra land conversion proposal

Is there any scope to challenge the Gandangarra Lands Council for their "one off" development of the Menai area. If you see the map of what is going to happen it is going to make the current closeure (and potential limited re-opening) look like a drop in the ocean.

It seems to have gone unoticed and unchallenged. Hardly "caretaking" the land for native title purposes when you are pushing a road through, loads of houses and a "business park" to employ 5000 people.

Can anyone update on this?
 
Nerf Herder

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
Its too late in terms of formal submissions ... the State Planning and Infrastructure Dept review finished in Late Feb early March from memory.

This was to do with rezoning. unsure what next steps are but guess that once zoned residential and commercial then its green lighted ?

More Info can be obtained from the Sutherland Environment Centre I believe. They were opposed along with other community groups and council.
 
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