The future of the Gorge Road Jump Park is uncertain after the Queenstown Lakes District Council announced it would not renew the club’s lease.
In a joint press release, the council and club said the jump park was situated on land identified as important to Queenstown’s growing infrastructure requirements, which "needs to expand as the town continues to experience increasing and sustained population growth".
The club previously held a licence to occupy the site. That recently expired, and there was no right of renewal.
Club president Adam Carlson had said the decision was disappointing, but he understood the council’s position.
The council has also agreed to give the club yearly renewals of its licence to occupy.
The first of those renewals will expire at the end of April 2019 and if the site has yet to be repurposed by then, an additional year may be granted, the press statement said.
"QMTBC has been aware of this licence expiry for some time and has been working with riders to gain an understanding of the best solutions and options for an alternative site.
"They are confident they will find an equal or better site, and will lobby QLDC to continue to support the jump park.
"QMTBC has no desire to let the legend of Gorge Rd die, and while this may be on another site in the future, they are working with QLDC to ensure this rich history lives on."
Council communications and engagement chief Naell Crosby-Roe said nothing had been determined about the future of the site yet.
An online petition to keep the jump park at the Gorge Rd site reached more than 16,700 signatures yesterday.
Petition creator Lowell Smyth declined to comment when contacted this week.
