Mountain Biking Otago (MTB Otago) has been building a car park and base on the council reserve at the back of Logan Park High School since March.
The group says each day on average about 100 riders used the tracks on Signal Hill, and at the weekend the number could increase to 500 a day, not including competition days.
But the group is now concerned it will have to share the site, which is a Dunedin City Council reserve, with hundreds of freedom campers.
MTB Otago president Kristy Booth said the group had spent about $150,000 building the car park at the bottom of Signal Hill and had expected to close access to the site at night, like the Bethunes Gully car park area.
The council has said access to the site could not be restricted and freedom campers could potentially use the site, Mrs Booth said.
One reason for the new car park was to take the pressure off Logan Park High School, whose car parks were being used by bikers at weekends.
If freedom campers were to use the site they could take up space needed by the growing number of mountain bikers, she said.
``The issue we have is the work was done with community money and volunteer hours, to benefit the Dunedin community.''
If it was well managed, freedom campers would not be a concern but there was no guarantee the council could do that, she said.
The council had also offered to assist with the building of a toilet block, although the offer had never been directly related to freedom campers.
The group was still talking to the council about the issue and hoped to come to an arrangement which suited both sides.
In an email, council parks and recreation manager Robert West said MTB Otago had raised a concern about freedom campers using the site and the council would manage the issue in the same way it managed any other site in city.
The site was not considered for a trial of the new inner-city freedom camping site announced yesterday.
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Comments
A car park for bikes?! Why don't they just bike there?
According to the cycleway lobbyists, cycling reduces the number of cars on the road and hence congestion. This would seem to be doing precisely the opposite.
Sorry, I can't help myself: What a surprise, cyclists don't want to share. Tell me something we didn't already know.
Using public land and public money, mountain bikers have increasingly pushed out other members of the community, particularly walkers, and particularly out of Signal Hill. Most of the reserve is now only for bikers, even though it is a public reserve and an off-leash dog exercise area. Sorry, but it is a real cheek complaining that mountain bikers are feeling "pushed out"!
Im sorry but you are misinformed. Yes it is public land but if by public money you mean rates you are incorrect. There has been no DCC funding gone to developing this area. Funding has come from MBO subscriptions, fundraising, community trusts and private donations.
The tracks are open for all to use even though they have been almost entirely built by MBO - the tracks didnt build themselves! MBO runs track building work groups several times a week mostly on Sunday mornings. You are welcome to come and help dig these tracks too to see for yourself.
funding from community trusts is public money, community funding is also public money for public projects. Many other users don't need specific trail surfaces to enjoy the outdoors, such as walkers and horse riders. The funding should be catering to as many users as possible, not just a specific user group.
There is a real misunderstanding that the DCC has built / paid for these tracks and facilities. They have not contributed on any of this.
Mountain Bike Otago and its members have put tens of thousands of hours into building the tracks and in particular this car park. MBO has paying members and have fund raised and obtained community funding for all this development. Local firms have also been very generous in their support through donations of materials and machinery.
To brecho - the tracks are not only for bikers and are open to everyone. Even though they were built by MBO members not by walkers or dog owners or the DCC.
Cue the usual anti-cyclist ignorant-plonker comments...
With the carpark and access road MBO have built a significant community asset at virtually nil cost to the council including the dual-use tracks on Signal Hill, Redwoods, and Nicols Creek. Theses tracks are used by vast numbers of walkers and runners as well as bikers.
Educate yourself before commenting, and maybe get your bum out of a car occasionally.
many of us are educated on the subject, it is just experience has shown the lack of sharing attitude by cyclists.
Don't forget the ACC claims for their "sport" this is the sort of activity that should have compulsory insurance paid for out of their own pockets,rugby players as well.