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Ruapehu Great Rides project - 16 June 2009 |
Enthusiasm for Ruapehu to join the national cycleway scheme received the backing of the Ruapehu District Council, with the announcement yesterday that its Mayoral Taskforce for Economic Development (MT4ED) will be getting involved.
The decision follows discussion at the RDC’s meeting in Taumarunui last Tuesday, when councillors were asked to appoint a representative for discussions on the project. However, councillors went a step further, deciding that the idea merits economic development support, to the tune of $20,000 so far.
Ruapehu’s mayor Sue Morris said that the proposed $50 million national cycleway project had the potential to bring significant benefits to Ruapehu communities.
“Tourism is now a major part of the Ruapehu economy and the range and quality of the district’s tourism products increases every year,” said Mrs Morris.
“Ruapehu already has some world-class cycling products such as the 42nd Traverse and other cycling initiatives that are underway such as the Old Coach Road,” she said.
She said that the cycleway concept is not now for one continuous track but for a large number of individual tracks criss-crossing throughout New Zealand.
At this stage, the Ruapehu group, led by the Tongariro Natural History Society, is calling their initiative the ‘Ruapehu Great Rides’.
“Ruapehu has the basis for developing fantastic cycle ways across the district with many formed roads and abandoned log railway routes that run through forest areas, DoC reserve, farmland, etc and can provide the starting point for development.”
Mrs Morris stated that the MT4ED has the support of DoC who is keen to work with Council and other partners to ensure that Ruapehu gets its share of government financial support for cycleway development projects and provide access to DoC estates.
“Council’s Asset Group has already considered potential cycleway development projects and has identified a number of exciting possibilities,” she said.
“These included potential tracks from Whakahoro to Ruatiti and the Bridge to Nowhere, Fischer Road from National Park to Retaruke and within the Pureora Forest Park to name but a few.”
“Cycling tourists fit the ‘Free, Independent Traveller’ (FIT) category of tourist that make-up a large part of the type of tourist attracted to Ruapehu.”
Ministry of Tourism figures show that cycling tourists spend an average of approximately $4400 each and stay in New Zealand an average of 49.2 nights compared to the average spend of all international tourists of approximately $2700 and an average length of stay of 20.9 nights.
Mrs Morris added that other factors that will benefit Ruapehu from cycle tourism is that they enjoy the smaller townships and bed-and-breakfast type accommodation which the smaller communities throughout Ruapehu can provide.
“As mark of Council’s commitment to the cycleway project we have assigned an initial $20,000 ‘start-up’ funding that could be used by the MT4ED to prepare a business case for gaining government support or leveraging government funding if required with the option of another $20,000 subject to the strength of the proposal,” she said.
“The MT4ED is currently waiting on the Ministry of Tourism to develop a set of criteria for cycleway projects.”
“Once the cycleway criteria has been advised the MT4ED will be moving quickly to indicate Ruapehu’s strong interest in being part of any central North Island cycleway development and promoting the amazing cycleway development options we have.”
Ruapehu Bulletin 16 June 2009
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