The Wanganui and Ruapehu districts are big winners in yesterday's announcements about the Government's national cycleway scheme.
The project could bring in millions in tourism dollars a year, says Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws.
The national cycleway scheme sprang out of February's national jobs summit.
Ruapehu is set to get $1 million worth of track construction, mainly on conservation department (DOC) land, starting this summer.
One of the seven tracks chosen for fast development runs into the Wanganui District. It starts on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu and continues down the Whanganui River to Wanganui.
The Ruapehu District has the top end of that track, and also another further north in the Hauhangaroa Range west of Lake Taupo.
The districts get these prized tourism opportunities through the work of a taskforce put together by Ruapehu Mayor Sue Morris. It consisted of her council, DOC and Whanganui iwi, DOC Whanganui area manager Nic Peet said.
Ohakune's Old Coach Road and the Mangapurua-Kaiwhakauka track would be upgraded this summer, ready to handle cycle traffic.
Instead of a cycleway spanning the length of the country, the Government yesterday announced it had decided to construct a series of "great rides" which would eventually create a national network. Two of the seven "quick start" tracks were in the Ruapehu/Whanganui region.
The 245km "Mountains to Sea" route starts on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu, takes in the Old Coach Road at its base, cycles through the Kaiwhakauka and Mangapurua valleys in Whanganui National Park, jet boats to Pipiriki then cycles down the Whanganui River Rd to Wanganui.
It would be a four to six-day ride.
In the northern Ruapehu District the 60km "Central North Island Rail Trail" starts at Pureora and runs south through Ongarue to Taumarunui. It includes the Ongarue tramway and historic Endean's timber mill.
An initial $9 million from the $50 million New Zealand Cycleway Fund has been tagged to get the first seven projects started. The Ruapehu/Whanganui ones were among the four most likely to go ahead, because they were upgrades or extensions to tracks on DOC land.
Work in the Mangapurua-Kaiwhakauka valleys would cost $500,000, with the money coming from DOC. It was planned spending that had been prioritised, Mr Peet said. The rest of the "Mountains to Sea" track would cost the same amount, with some finance coming from DOC and some from the cycleway fund.
Work could begin as early as November or December.
The surface material for the tracks remained undecided, but none of them would be sealed.
Each link would create about 40 construction jobs, with more in the future as businesses serviced the needs of touring cyclists.
Construction could take several years. Maintenance would be done by DOC or the tracks' final owners.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Ruapehu Mayor Sue Morris: "It is hugely exciting for the district. There will be immediate benefits to local communities and businesses from track upgrade and construction work, and longer term benefits for tourism businesses."
Whanganui iwi leader Archie Taiaroa: "Tangata whenua are looking forward to making the most of the opportunities presented by the Mountains to Sea ride."
DOC general operations manager Barbara Browne: "DOC's work on the Central Otago Rail Trail has brought significant benefits to that region and we're looking to repeat that experience for these communities."
Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws: "This should contribute millions of dollars a year to our tourism economy. Cycling is the fastest growing recreational activity – it is the jogging equivalent for the 21st century."
Wanganui's Mr Cycling, Ron Cheatley: "It's bloody good that it's happened."
Whanganui MP Chester Borrows: "It's fantastic news. Having tramped the Mangapurua-Kaiwhakauka track I'm very pleased that visitors to New Zealand will get to see that unique part of the country. Hopefully they will carry on down the river."
DOC Whanganui area manager Nic Peet: "We're really looking forward to working with our partner organisations to bring people into the backcountry and provide economic opportunities to a lot of the communities along the route."
Cycleway plan could earn district millions
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