HUB WORKS BEGIN
Hey hey we are underway! A little behind schedule due to weather the Trail Hub Car Park is now finally under construction. ANDREW YOUNGER CONTRACTING, supported by JOHN DOUGLAS CARTAGE have been busy excavating and hauling metal over the past week, doing a magnificent job creating the bones of what will turn into a super user friendly space. There are a few structures yet to be built – a signage shelter and portaloo decks and there is much planting to be done… stay tuned for the call to help. Thank you to DAVID CASWELL and BROADSPECTRUM for providing our Traffic Management Plan and roadside shoulder closure.
HUB LAYOUT and STRUCTURE DESIGN
Huge thanks goes to GLENN BREBNER of BGBB TEAM ARCHITECTS based in NEW PLYMOUTH. Glenn grew up in Paihia, returns for an annual family holiday and still has many close friends in the area. Being best mates with TIFF HOLLAND basically meant that he had no choice when she begged him for his expertise pro bono. Glenn’s great concept designs are being further developed by VISION CONSULTING ENGINEERS LTD, a civil and environmental engineering firm based in Kerikeri, for building consent. It is fantastic that these companies are getting in behind this worthwhile project – giving us the opportunity to create something really special. Awesome – We can not thank you enough!
GENERAL PARK PROGRESS
A huge thanks goes to the ever supportive BAY OF ISLANDS ITM TEAM who have continued to provide hiab and transport of materials from the FNHL yard in Opua, to the Trail Hub in Waitangi. Thanks to ITM Driver RANKIN SIONEMALE for his expert handling of such heavy kit. It is always a pleasure to work with these guys. Also to RACHEL FUSSELL for managing the logistics of the deliveries, often meaning a last minute, pre school-drop dash, to unlock all the various gates.
TRAIL SIGNAGE
WMBP VOLUNTEER – RACHEL FUSSELL is in the news again, along with partner BLAKE CAMERONand TIFF HOLLAND – who have been busy installing trail signage, with still more to come – the list seems never ending but the signage team is glad to be seeing some light, with only the roadside signage to go. Thanks again and again to the SIGN TEAM!
RUBBISH CREW
A crazy trend has developed in recent years of (mental!) people dumping rubbish over the hillside into the bush from the BLEDISLOE LOOK OUT CARPARK. This has been an ongoing battle for theDEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION and theWAITANGI NATIONAL TRUST MAINTENANCE TEAM. Now with a track that runs below MT BLEDISLOE and HARURU FALLS RD rubbish that is dumped lands directly onto the trail. Exhibit A (photo to the right). A huge thanks to STEVE MARTIN, RACHEL MARTIN and KEITH TOWNSEND who kindly picked up the piles of rubbish! Their efforts were not pre organised – They just saw it one day and were back the next day to clean it up! Thank you for your instant, spontaneous and splendid effort!
WMBP WORKING BEES
We are well underway into a busy working bee season, getting the park ship shape for opening. Response to the ‘volunteer sign up’ has been overwhelming with OVER 100 keen workers on the list.
The SPRAY CREW have put in the days and now all but one track has been sprayed for weeds and gorse. Thank you to CHARLIE WITTS, DAVE SANSON, TIFF HOLLAND, DOUG BOGARDUS, PETER SECCOMBE and family team ANDY and GRETA VANASCHE (seen in photo below, prior to suiting up). It sure is a long walk with a spray pack on your back. Just what Greta had planned for her holidays!? But efforts by all are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
SURFACING BEE
WOW! A huge HUGE thank you goes out to all those who helped to surface parts of the kids/beginners track, MOKOPUNA. We have completed 165m of the 200m. Spectacular progress! Of the 18 involved 12 volunteers each day, together walked in over 650 wheelbarrow loads of material in total, over the two days! Amazing stamina and commitment was shown by all. It was very hard yakka with the final 50m on Sunday being a 1km round trip per barrow! It was certainly excellent exercise and a darn good workout. Another bee is being organised next weekend (24th July) to complete the job. Thank you to DARREN MARKIN, DAVE SANSON, JOHN GIBBS, PAMELA MACLAHCLAN, RACHEL MARTIN, STEVE MARTIN, TAUNAHA SMITH, ETHAN SMITH, CARL LE HERON, ROBIN HOLLAND, DOUG BOGARDUS, ANGELA MARINKOVIC, BRUCE GORDON, CARL HUDSON, GREG GIBB, WAYNE SMITH, PETE RICHARDS and TIFF HOLLAND. Thanks to DARREN MARKIN for the great action shots. Surfacing is hard work and truly something that needs many hands. Please come and give us a hand on Sunday 24 July – sign up and we will forward you the details. There is a link to the volunteer sign up form below. Who needs boot camp? Come and get super fit with us!
SLUMP BEE
The WAITANGI MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK VOLUNTEERS were at it again on the Tuesday following the surfacing bee. With heavy rains over the last few weeks there were a small number of slumps on the trails. (To be expected as these fresh tracks ‘bed in’, with the biggest one shown in the photos below). It was a last minute call out for the ‘SLUMP BEE’ that was heard and attended even by some of the stalwarts from the surfacing bee, with only one day off in between! Huge thanks goes TAUNAHA SMITH, STEVE MARTIN, CARL LE HERON, TIFF HOLLAND and DOUG BOGARDUS, also to newcomers PAUL WHATMOUGH and BRIGETTE VAN DINTHER. Also to GARY LUCAS and the fellow PAIHIA VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS he brought with him TERRY SMITH and FRITZ SCHOUTEN. Huge thanks guys – Bam! We nailed it!
