A funding agreement for $2.54 million was signed yesterday
for the first section of the Clutha Gold Trail, between the
trail trust and the New Zealand Cycle Trail Project. Ready
to make tracks are national cycle trail programme manager
John Dunn (left) and trust chairman Rod Peirce. Photo by
Lynda Van Kempen.
Cycle trails are the "least invasive form of tourism on
the planet" Clutha Gold Trail Trust chairman Rod Peirce said as
he signed an agreement for $2.54 million in funding for the
project yesterday.
Planning began four years ago and signing the contract
between the New Zealand Cycle Trail project and the trust was
a real milestone, he said.
National cycle trail programme manager John Dunn, Central
Otago mayor Malcolm Macpherson, Clutha Mayor Juno Hayes,
Clutha and Central Otago district councillors,
Lawrence-Tuapeka and Roxburgh Community Board members
attended the signing in Roxburgh.
The Government funding is for the first stage of the
Roxburgh-Lawrence trail, from Roxburgh to Beaumont. Funding
for the second stage, from Beaumont to Lawrence, is still
under review.
"There's still some land access issues we have to sort out
but we're confident that will happen," Mr Peirce said.
"Signing this contract is another stage of the journey and
gets us closer to construction."
Planning had already started well before the Government
announced the national cycle trails initiative but the
funding available accelerated the likely starting date for
the project.
He hoped the first construction work on the trail could be
under way by July next year.
Mr Dunn said the title of the trail summed up the reasons why
it was successful in gaining funding.
"The first thing is the Clutha, the river, the landscape you
go through; what could be better than cruising along with the
water beside you."
"Then there's the gold mining culture. A lot of our trails
have one string to their bow - the landscape, but you have a
second string, which is the mining history of the area."
Towns were evenly spaced along Clutha Gold's 73km length, at
Roxburgh, Beaumont and Lawrence, so were well-placed to cater
for the visitors attracted to the area by the new trail, he
said.
"The national cycle trails will revitalise communities and
attract New Zealanders and overseas people to your towns."
Roxburgh Community Board chairman Stephen Jeffery said there
was a "huge groundswell of support" for the trail in the
Teviot Valley.
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