Manawatū Mountain Bike Club receives $100,000 grant for Arapuke Mountain Bike Park

The Manawatū Mountain Bike Club has been awarded $100,000 to develop Arapuke Mountain Bike Park in Palmerston North.

The Manawatū Mountain Bike Club will be able to further develop Arapuke Mountain Bike Park in Palmerston North thanks to a grant by the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT).

NZCT has awarded the club $100,000, which will especially benefit newer mountain bikers and novices wanting to progress to the intermediate level.

NZCT is one of the largest gaming societies in New Zealand, awarding more than $40 million in grants throughout the country in 2022 and 2023 for a range of community services, including sports, rescue services, youth development, the arts and cultural activities. The funds come from gaming venue profits in local communities.

Manawatū Mountain Bike Club’s trail building, fundraising and marketing manager Russell Brebner said one of the key outcomes of the grant would be the completion of the downhill trail that “a dedicated group of young enthusiasts have been building by hand for the past two years”.

This trail is used by a range of mountain bikers and as the venue for an annual school competition in September which is attended by a number of lower North Island schools.

One person who is looking forward to the downhill trail being completed is Jonty Williamson, a 15-year-old national-level downhill racer.

“Developing trails to cater for downhillers means from our ‘backyard’ we can practice racing techniques on features similar to what we’d find at racing venues around the country.”

Mother of five Esther Hutchinson said her whole family loved mountain biking at Arapuke.

“There aren’t many sports or facilities where we can all participate at our own level, with our friends, at the same time. The region is lucky to have Arapuke.”

Bikers at Arapuke Mountain Bike Park which has been described as a “wonderful asset for riders young and old”.

NZCT general manager of grants, marketing and communications Ben Hodges thought Arapuke was a “wonderful asset for riders young and old”.

“We’re delighted the responsible gaming fundraising partnerships NZCT enjoys with hospitality venues in the region are making such a positive contribution to the region’s recreation scene.”

The Manawatū Mountain Bike Club was founded in 1988 and is growing to be one of the largest cycling clubs in the region with about 1000 members.

“The club provides a range of activities, from fun events to skills development, coaching for riders and competitive events,” Brebner said.

“They construct and maintain many amazing trails in the region, with more being built all the time.

“The jewel in the crown is the Arapuke Mountain Bike Park, located on Palmerston North City Council-owned land.”

The park is free and available to the community, attracting visitors from across New Zealand and worldwide.