Tracks get bike club clean up
South Canterbury’s mountain bikers gave the tracks at Timaru Centennial Park a final big spruceup before winter and the bike club’s final summer race hits.
‘‘The scenic reserve is quite a large area but we’ll be using the tracks in the area we’re cleaning up because we’ll know exactly what we’re working with,’’ South Canterbury Mountain Bike Club treasurer Warwick Kearins said.
Sunday’s working bee included weed whacking, spraying, clearing out drains, and adding shingles to the tracks.
‘‘We just did whatever we decided looked most urgent when we got there,’’ Kearins said.
This Sunday’s race, which sees people aged two and above ride through the scenic reserve, is the last before September.
While the working bee is meant to clear as much of the tracks as possible before winter makes it harder, there are people to work on the grounds year round.
‘‘You’re really just looking for good conditions when the tracks aren’t too dry or too wet.
Kearins said the club tries to clear out the tracks every couple of months.
‘‘A lot of the maintenance is done by individuals when they have time’’.
Kearins said the bike club had a memorandum of understanding with the Timaru District Council to look after some of the tracks approved by the council.
‘‘The council maintains the large walking tracks on either side of the reserve but the rest of the tracks are maintained by volunteer labour. ‘‘It’s been ongoing for decades.’’ Kearins said the work did not cost much to do and occasionally the council would provide the club with shingle and spray.
Kearins was happy to take on the task of looking after the tracks.
‘‘I think the scenic reserve is a great asset for Timaru. ‘‘We’re really lucky to have it.’’ Kearins said people were not expected to be a financial member of the club to join in with either the clean-up or the races.