'Inappropriate' Dunedin mountain bike track names to go after two complaints

The Ginger Cougar, The Mrs and The Mistress tracks have to be replaced with more appropriate names approved by the council. Photo / ODT

Mountain Biking Otago has been ordered to rename three of its Signal Hill mountain-biking tracks after the Dunedin City Council deemed their monikers inappropriate.

The Ginger Cougar, The Mrs and The Mistress tracks have to be replaced with more appropriate names approved by the council.

A member of the Signal Hill digging group posted the news on social media on Tuesday, describing it as "a sad day".

Council parks and recreation group manager Robert West said it had received two complaints about the names of the Dunedin tracks.

Staff agreed the names were inappropriate, and raised the matter with Mountain Biking Otago, he said.

"We are pleased MBO has agreed to make the changes and understand some of the signs have already been removed."

"We are working with the group on guidelines for the future naming of tracks."

Mountain Biking Otago president Kristy Booth said she was "disappointed for all involved".

The tracks had carried the names for seven to 10 years, and "in this time there has been no negative comments bought to our attention".

"We don't find them inappropriate within the context of how their names came to be."

Volunteers would spend a significant amount of time and club funds reacting to the complaint of one person, she said.