Advocacy Alert Parramatta LGA residents - Lake Parra needs your help

[Nerf Herder]

Following on from this: http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/showthread.php?231269-Lake-Parramatta-draft-Plan-of-Management&highlight=lake+parramatta

There was a great and unexpectedly strong show of support by riders against the proposed ban on cycling in the Lake Parramatta reserve.

The bad news is that Staff have elected to proceed with their initial plan and convert the reserve from having a recreational focus to a conservation focus. This is not all bad, given the recently released NPWS cycling policy. However, there is an educational opportunity to be had with both Staff and Councillors.

The next step for Staff is to lodge their report to council and subsequently for Council to review.

Our next opportunity to influence this process will be when Staff table their report, approx 1 week prior to the scheduled Council meeting on the 12th Dec (Note: dates to be confirmed). Given the nature of the process, Local residents and their influence on councillors is our best tool and we need as many Parramatta LGA residents and their families to contact adavid (at) bmorc.com as a matter of urgency so Reps can either communicate our plan via email or organise a quick meeting to discuss.

What we will require from residents is to participate in a thoughtfully presented email campaign to Parra Councillors highlighting that
i) The reserve is a popular recreational resource dating back to early days of the city. Although recreational activities have changed, the reserve is still in high demand and as a recreational venue.
ii) MTB and conservation is not mutually exclusive and modern trail building techniques are well developed as highlight by acceptance of IMBA guidelines in NSW National Parks.
iii) hopefully a strong level of demand ... several dozen would be tops.

Note: this by no means discounts the efforts of other riders and residents that have participated in this effort to date, however, it reflects that this is a local government issue and locals are needed to highlight to their councillors their level of demand. So if you live in the Parramatta Council area or have friends that would be supportive of continued access to Lake Parramatta please encourage them to get involved as we can't do it without numbers.

Thanks to all those that have taken time to participate so far ... as always its been great meeting such a diverse group that are committed to making a difference and highlighting the demand for Legitimate and Sustainable mountain bike trails. Also big thanks to Chris (Sellwood) for putting us all on the right path.

Al

 

[crank1979]

Doesn't look like it worked.

I refer to previous correspondence in relation to your submission during the recent public exhibition of the draft Lake Parramatta Reserve Plan of Management (POM).

Council endorsed the amended draft POM at their ordinary meeting on 12 December 2011 to guide the future management and development of the reserve. In recognising the demand for mountain biking opportunities, the amended POM allows for non-motorised bike access on the existing eastern fire trail to provide links into larger adjoining bushland reserves whilst minimising disturbance to endangered species and ecological communities within the reserve.

A significant number of submissions were received during the public exhibition period advocating for dedicated mountain bike trails in the reserve. These were reviewed and considered in conjunction with the overall assessment of all submissions. However Council considers that cycling and mountain bike use of trails within this bushland reserve should be restricted as outlined above in view of:
• the small size, nature, location and topography of the reserve (it was declared a Fauna Sanctuary in 1960 and a recent fauna survey identified 200 native flora species and 75 native fauna species);
• Consistency with the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) Sustainable Mountain Biking Strategy which states that ‘mountain-biking single-track will continue to be prohibited in nature reserve and wilderness areas as it is inconsistent with the management principles of these areas’;
• it is acknowledged that such facilities are available to cyclists within a reasonable distance to other Sydney suburbs such as Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai Councils. These sites have been established in former quarries or land fill areas, are not within high quality remnant bushland areas with threatened native species or contain Aboriginal heritage sites, as is the case for Lake Parramatta Reserve.

To minimise cost and environmental impacts, the provision of additional formalised carparking has been reconfigured to the existing grassed overflow parking area at the corner of Bourke and Lackey Streets whilst allowing for additional bus parking close to amenities within the reserve. The draft POM also incorporates a number of minor amendments recommended from submissions received during the exhibition period.
Council also resolved that an additional ‘Environmental Protection’ purpose be assigned under the Crown Lands Act 1989 to reflect the natural and cultural heritage significance of the reserve. The draft POM will now be submitted to the Minister for Primary Industries recommending it be adopted under the Crown Lands Act 1989.

Once the POM has been adopted, copies will be available at Council libraries and on the Parramatta City Council website at http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/your_council/news/plans/environmental. On behalf of Council I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your interest and valuable input during the development of the POM.

Yours sincerely


Neville Davis
Acting Manager City Assets & Environment

Visit http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au

 

[powermutant]

I see reasoning that wouldn't withstand scrutiny in many other different forums, unfortunately government isn't one of them.

A couple of interesting quotes:

"an email full of words that don't actually mean anything, it's like someone has sat down and had to write a letter informing people of something, but not actually wanting to say what it is they are announcing? I wonder why? Do they think we won't take the news well or something?"

"Endangered species are at risk!
I think sometimes mtb are an endangered species in Sydney."

But this captures the sentiment:
"So... They were inundated with pesky mtb petition... Sufficient number for a response but will still be ignored...
But let's create more car parking spots because cars and additional influx of people do not coz(sic) additional damage to flora and fauna, especially inexperienced bush walkers who damage fauna, leave food scraps and garbage e.g. Lolly wrappers and empty soft drink cans.

Wotevas(sic)"

 

[BlueHue]

I find the point about the nearby facilities in nearby LGAs particularly poorly reasoned.

They acknowldege the demand for the Lake Parramatta mountain bike trails, then suggest their local and other nearby riders use trails established (well for the most part not even built yet and in somes not even confirmed as goer) in other nearby LGAs, trails built specifically to meet those LGAs own local demand, not regional demand...... and use this as an excuse to not provide for their own local communities demonstrated need for official mountain bike trails. If thats not contradictory, I don't know what is.

Still I undertstand where they are coming from. The Lake Parra reserve space is small, high conservation value and much of the local track is outside of the reserve, so they concluded only fire trail linking to the other trails was appropriate. This to me just highlights the need for a broader approach to solving the problem of unmet demand for mountain bike trails in Sydneys north west. However the point above about sending riders to other LGAs facilities indicates Parra Council cares little about contributing to the solution.

 

[Nerf Herder]

check the other thread ... councillors voted unanimously unfortunately.

IMO came down to
i) old ways of thinking
ii) MTB'ers getting engaged too late in the piece
- reps did attempt to undertake some education by communicating what we could do (ie IMBA standards etc) ... but all fell on deaf ears. Staff chose not to engage with us so writing was on the wall.
iii) poor timing of illegal trails getting built in the reserve which ultimately put staff off side and was used as one justification to stop access.
"I'm against rewarding people that do the wrong thing" paraphrasing Clr Finn.

Its a real shame, but there are a few opportunities we are investigating and maybe if we are more proactive instead of reactive, it might be a more positive engagement.

So if you are in the Hills District, or in and around Bankstown and maybe Auburn ... you might want to get in contact

 

[nrthrnben]

Am i reading this right?

1.The council asked for submissions on who wants to use the land

2. We submitted

A significant number of submissions were received during the public exhibition period advocating for dedicated mountain bike trails in the reserve.

3. Lots of mountain bikers requested use of the land

These were reviewed and considered in conjunction with the overall assessment of all submissions. However Council considers that cycling and mountain bike use of trails within this bushland reserve should be restricted as outlined above in view of:
· the small size, nature, location and topography of the reserve (it was declared a Fauna Sanctuary in 1960 and a recent fauna survey identified 200 native flora species and 75 native fauna species);
· Consistency with the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) Sustainable Mountain Biking Strategy which states that ‘mountain-biking single-track will continue to be prohibited in nature reserve and wilderness areas as it is inconsistent with the management principles of these areas’;
· it is acknowledged that such facilities are available to cyclists within a reasonable distance to other Sydney suburbs such as Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai Councils. These sites have been established in former quarries or land fill areas, are not within high quality remnant bushland areas with threatened native species or contain Aboriginal heritage sites, as is the case for Lake Parramatta Reserve.

4. Council gives rubbish excuses to ignore mtb submissions and offers boring old firetrail which is already able to be ridden just about anywhere in the planet.
Other facilities exist? Are they serious? Last time i checked there wasn't any Mountain Bike facilities in those suburbs that people would fight through traffic for.
And they say they are following National parks lead, even though NPWS are doing the opposite?

Man, that does not sit right with me

 

[Nerf Herder]

http://digitaledition.parramattaadvertiser.com.au/#folio=015

note ... correct quote for Clr Finn included.

 

[jrewing]

They really need to remove the current council system...

Or we can just offer them bribes and kick-backs. Councils just eat that stuff up for dinner.

 

[Cripp]

Disappointing outcome. Can anyone clarify... is the firetrail we have access to the one that ends at the creek with the fence? I assume once we cross the creek and hop on the single track there we are out of Lake Parra reserve?