BIKE TAUPO INC.

MINUTES OF MEETING – Tuesday 27 September 2011, 7:30pm

Waikato Regional Council Building, corner of Paora Hapi and Titiraupenga Streets, Taupo.

PRESENT: Thomas Schwarz, Shorty Hughes, Cath Oldfield, Thea de Petris, Pete MacFarlane, Karyn Hutton, Keith Crate, Pete Masters, Mike Langley

APOLOGIES: Mark Gibson and Rowan Sapsford

CONGRATULATIONS: All congratulated on a splendid month. Waikato/BoP won bid for Home of Cycling. Bike Taupo won the Supreme prize at the Trustpower Volunteer Awards. We replaced Paddy’s Bridge on the Rotary Ride. Lake Track …aka Great Lake Trail… will start building very soon. Fizzy drinks supplied for all!

COMMITTEE NOMINATION: Thomas moved to officially welcome Rowan back onto the committee. Second by Shorty and all in favour.

CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

Minutes of meeting from 16 August 2011 were confirmed as being true and correct. Cath/Thomas

MATTERS ARISING

Website. Thomas has talked with Mike and they have come up with an outline with Mark and Thea. Thomas said they will produce cards with all the layers we need and then shuffle and play with them to come up with the best way to put it all together. Look to be ready for summer.

Weekender Credit. Took a group photo for the ‘Introduction to Bike Taupo’. All members wrote down their favourite track and there will be a ‘Track of the Fortnight’. Each committee person to explain why it is their choice!

See Saw. Ongoing. The Kennett Brothers sent Pete an interesting study on how structures between 400mm and 1.5m are the most dangerous. It seems that there was a perceived idea of something being harmless when it is low-ish contributes to accidents. It was suggested that something like a see saw should either be really low and less than 400mm or else over 1.5m to scare off only experienced riders.

Logo and Byline. Committee considered it to be fine and maybe only change the colour with the new website.

GPS Maps. A couple of maps brought to meeting for consideration. Looking good as they are topographical and easy to follow. MTB Club suggested some sort of indication for uphills and/or downhills. Perhaps dotted lines or arrows. The tracks could be coloured as per their grades eg black for Grade 5 etc which would help people to ride to their ability. Also suggested the maps could include the river trails too.

DGLT. Invoice for $2,000 has been sent but one from Poisiden not received.

Great Lake Trail Resolution. Thomas moved to accept the resolution giving mandate to the GLT sub-committee to pass invoices for payment etc.

BIKE TAUPO ADVOCACY GROUP INCORPORATED

It was resolved by the Committee of Bike Taupo Advocacy Group Incorporated on the

day of 2011 that:

Dirt Jumps and Trials in Spa Park. Alan suggested that they have their own umbrella for funding and maintenance. Cath will continue to work with riders to get park underway. If anyone wants to be involved, let Cath know.

Possum Tracks. Shorty has sorted this issue out.

TDC Submissions. Keeping communication with TDC going.

Home of Cycling. Thanks to everyone who put in submissions. Waikato and Bay of Plenty are the successful Home of Cycling area. Taupo will have to see how this will flow on to here.

KEITH CRATE REPORT:

Home of Cycling. 18 districts applied and the Waikato/BoP bid was successful. The cost to Taupo ratepayers will be $3.12 per annum on regional rates. Velodrome in Cambridge September 2013. Some committee members expressed concern that Taupo riders will see no benefits, while some local issues remain unresolved. Cath to email Keith to contact Claire Sharland and Dennis Lewis to express that BT sees four pressing issues for Taupo cyclists.

• The widening of Poihipi Road.
• Signage to BT network from main roads. eg W2K, the gullies and Craters.
• Cycle lanes in town.
• With Lake Terrace becoming a local road, are there safer cycling considerations especially since the serious accident at Two Mile Bay recently.

Ribbon Cutting. There is to be an official ceremony to hand back Lake Terrace to Taupo as a local road. Suggested it would be a great opportunity to present cycling to the community. Begins at roundabout by airport and goes round to GLC probably. Keith thought we could try to get as many cyclists as possible to show our numbers.

First Cycleways Trail. Keith visited the first trail for the National Cycleways. He was impressed. Five of the trails are in the Home of Cycling area. The main idea is that there will be local jobs created.

DGLT Visitor Guide. Only one page of this guide has cycling. There is a walking guide and needs a much more cycling information. Our marketing needs to be much more prominent. Scott Pearson has been approached by Bike Taupo.

Trustpower Awards. Well done. The National awards in Ashburton in March.

Mizuno Half Marathon. Thanks to BT for their help. BT needs assurance from the organisers that they can keep it running. BT can run the event, if necessary. Keith asked to please express to the committee of the Half Marathon what BT actually does so that the event is possible and that this be minuted. 1. The track does not take care of itself and without a track, there is no event. 2. The Track Managers were out on the day before the event, making the track ready. 3. On the day there were 8 marshals from BT who stayed all day. 4. BT would consider running event if necessary.

CORRESPONDENCE REPORT:

Inbox:

Outbox:

Correspondence accepted Thomas/Cath

TREASURER’S REPORT:

TDC has not paid funding yet. Karyn to check. Cath to get Karyn a letter of some sort for the records of the $1,500 win from Volunteer Awards.

Moved Karyn/Cath

MANAGER’S REPORT

· Paddy’s Bridge put in on Monday. Some photos taken but helmet cam didn’t work

· Kev’s Track has been realigned so it works much better

· Corkscrew repairs paid for by MTB Club. Sign put up at big dip that says ‘Bloody Big Dip’

· SH Fun downhill to be finished

· Maintenance and spraying beginning

· No problems at the Day/Nighter. Thanks everyone

· $6K to spend on W2K

· Need new signs at Huka Falls to Rotary Ride and Aratiatia

· New stile going into Aratiatia Loop to keep out horses

· Need better signage off ETA Bridge

· Does anyone know anything about Taupo-Nui-a-Tia College MTB signs in Craters? Pete to phone school.

LAKE TRACK now known as GREAT LAKE TRAIL

• Name approved by National Cycleways so now Great Lake Trail or GLT
• Blessing Saturday 8 October at 10.30am. Off Whangmata Road, bottom of hill past Kawakawa Bay Road. No speeches. No media.
• Resolution giving mandate to GLT Committee, covered in Matters Arising. Committee/Administration doesn’t change
• Signed agreement with Wellington for purchase agreements with local operators eg Placemakers
• Waiting on DoC approval, but see no issues
• Quad and digger have been ordered

URBAN JUNGLE

• Cath helping Mountview and Taupo Primary Schools with funding applications for Cycle Active

WAIRAKEI (7 wise men and 1 wise woman)

Wairakei 7 Wisemen

26 September 2011 6pm @ Plateau

Present: Brent Cameron, Len Malcolm, Alex Fierro, Carwyn May, Pete McFarlane, Shorty

Apologies: Brendon Reynolds

New Tracks

Corkscrew downhill and Squirt to Q Line road.

SH Fun downhill from high point. Brendon and Alex have flagged it. Digger to do, option on last bit, track crew to decide the best way to exit to Q line road.

Track Maintenance

Completed:

• Luge has been fix up after cattle trespass , working bee great turn out 12 people
• Kegress - two corners improved by Brendon and Alex.

Being done:

• Retro up hill top section - Pete Manning has started it, old track to be left in as an option. Alex rode out there and wasn’t happy with the work. Too tight and tree roots. He thought the old way was better. Pete McFarlane and Alex to look at.
• Pete Masters and Pete Manning will put in an optional link to Coles Killer. Form Buzzard.

To be done:

Grinder –Veggie trim.

Incline - wet patch about half way and veggie trim.

Top of Outback – downhill from road narrow drop and puddle in Geothermal area, Ramp over fence needs netting all the way along it.

Mister - tidy up.

Buzzard - check structures.

Spray signs with 30 Seconds and walk away.

Fast Eddy- digger job tidy up, not urgent want to keep this track.

Weed spraying has started.

Shorty has sent this list to Pete Masters who will check tracks and instruct the track crew of the work to be done.

Carwyn happy to have a working bee on Retro downhill at some stage - not urgent.

Maps

Discussed - had a copy of draft map.

• Suggested that the long uphill sections be a broken line to show it is up eg on Grinder, Tank Stand, Debs uphill, Incline, Outback uphill.
• Tracks coloured by their grade.
• Grey track, links Outback to Slalom new name “Chain Link”. ( Thanks Len)
• Laneway Road name missing.
• No roads to be shown outside Bike zone boundary?
• Horse zones shown as no go areas.
• Room for expansion – back of Outback.
• Add Kev’s, Contact new track.
• White around trail colour stands out the best.

Shorty will pass this info and copy of draft map to Rowan.

Toilets

Shorty moved that Bike Taupo committee accepts Colliers conditions for toilets. 2^nd by Pete Masters.

Waiting on plans from DoC if unable to get them Peter Cook has offered to draw them up.

Building consent being covered by TDC we just need to pay for admin costs approx $150.00. Still need to do the paperwork.

Mike Saunders to build, some materials in fire store.

Pete Mac to put in Vault.

Track description by grade from the website

• Needs updating – Shorty has started and Alex will finish this.

Bridleway – freedom riders

• The Taupo Adult Riding Club and Bridleways Incorporated has applied for a recreation permit to allow freedom horse riding through Wairakei Forest and beyond.
• We were asked are there any issues / suggestions you have / wish to alert us to as part of the consideration by LINZ of their application for bridleways?
• Pete Masters, Len and Shorty put in a detailed two page response, giving some background information, key issues for Bike Taupo etc. In summary…

Proposed solutions

1. Freedom riders could use agreed THT horse zones (If THT will allow them to) and sign in and out with THT each ride. This signing in and out system should alleviate concerns around events and safety as at this signing in point the riders will be made aware of any events or special considerations required.
2. The freedom riders can create and maintain their own zone which are separate from Bike Taupo and THT's zones. They can build their own trail that links where they want to go.

Summary

We are do not oppose the freedom riders riding and wish them all the best but as discussed, historically the mixture of these activities is not conducive to a positive atmosphere and can cause a myriad of issues. Walkers and dogs also use these areas and we are keen to maintain the current conditions for all to enjoy.

If you would like to read the full document, contact Shorty.

General Business

Shorty asked how busy Pete Mac will be with the Great Lake Trail, at this stage could not see it would be too busy. Suggested if he did get busy and could not make meetings he could nominate a person to stand in on the committee if need be.

Info for the Pedal Talk please esp: U tube links and cycle news.

MEDIA/PROMOTION/WEBSITE

Covered in Matters Arising

FUNDING/PROJECTS

Cath to send off reconciliation for Paddy’s Bridge funding to Lion Foundation. Need bank statements showing grant being banked and all invoices being paid. Need copies of all invoices and some photos of bridge.

NEWSLETTER

· All interesting stuff to Shorty please for Pedal Talk

GENERAL BUSINESS

· AGM Date to be set. Either 7 or 14 November. Need to check with Karyn and Strettons if enough time for accounts. Last year was during Cycle Challenge Week, and not ideal.

Meeting Closed: 10.10pm

Next Meeting: Tuesday 18 October at Waikato Regional Council Building, corner of Paora Hapi and Titiraupenga Streets, Taupo.

Signed as a true and correct record

_________________________________ Date: ___________

Thomas Schwarz (Bike Taupo Chairman)