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Todays Paper - Hart backs biking ban
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/...
WARRINGAH Council general manager Rik Hart has stood by the decision to ban bike riding in sections of Manly Dam, despite a severe public backlash.
Angry mountain bike riders have bombarded Warringah councillors and Manly State MP Mike Baird with emails and phone calls in protest since the ban went in place last week.
A protest ride has also been organised for March 6 with more than already 150 people signed up.
Yesterday Mr Hart walked the sections of single track with the Mayor Michael Regan and senior council staff and said it had reaffirmed in his mind that the right decision had been made.
“Having walked the track today we are of the unanimous opinion, as an executive group, that parts of the track are highly risky from a public liability point of view,” he said.
“It is a public liability issue, which is getting worse and worse so we have to take into account the risks.”
Riders maintain they have used the track for 12 years incident-free but Mr Hart said he was aware of one definite close call that was reported to council.
“There was a close miss when a group of bush regeneration workers were lucky to escape a serious incident when a rider came off his bike near the group.”
Meanwhile, there was confusion yesterday as to whether councillors had been properly briefed on the ban.
Cr Virginia Laugesen claimed nine out of 10 councillors first heard about the ban via a council press release last Friday.
When questioned Cr Laugesen said the ban was only put forward to councillors as one possible option. This was supported by Cr Christina Kirsch.
Mr Hart, however, said, councillors were given a clear understanding of his staff’s position at a briefing on February 2.
“It was very clear that staff were to close the track and we sent out electronic copies of the presentation to councillors after the meeting,” he said.
Cr Laugesen later admitted she had made a mistake.
“I’ve checked with council staff and I am wrong and I apologise,” she said.
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I refer to this excellent document Oxford Falls Plan of Management User Group Consultation - Northern Beaches Mountain Biking Group Response 15 May 2009.
Yes, they do know the numbers. Or should.
The council's own official number is an estimated peak of 500 mountain bike users a day on teh circuit track. I have it in print in a Council report.
Not stated in the report, but obvious: This would be in the spring and autumn seasons on a sunny weekend day.
Back in the 90's when I was working in South Creek rd. I used to ride my GEMINI trax around the lake twice a day and every trip in the first three months I would report a sighting of a lurid person standing across the path exposing themselves at me!
This now is a feature that I sure none of you younger riders have yet to see. Although Rik Hart I do believe that the menacing should start again soon around the Manly Dam precinct in the not to distant future..... All thanks be to those that have the will of the constituents of Warringah Shire and Surrounds in their hearts and heads....All thanks be given to the people of the elected council who do selflessly give their own lives to the betterment of the common man......to uphold the worthiness in stature......who shall be brought to bear these their actions before their peers......I was half snoozing but I sure it was somewhere along these lines that was read out before the last open forum which I spoke at.
I am sure Mr R Hart gets paid well by his department to not pay any attention to the small things like you know constituents, the "small fries" so to speak. 
Since the elected councillors are pretty much all saying they are against this move, are they able to pass a no confidence motion in the general manager Rik Hart?
After posting a message regarding the closure of Manly Dam on a personal (my social) message board I have been ridiculed for posing a viable threat ~abusive~ I apologised for them (the other socialites) for not being on my wavelength but I made/make no attempt to withdraw a "politicly BIAS" statement which I believe to be the truth as I wrote it from the point of view that it did happen to ME
STICK TO YOUR GUNS PEOPLE
I think you will find that only 4 elected councillors have declared themselves openly against this track closure. One of those may or may not vote our way on the night (based on how he defines what the community wants).
That leaves a majority "undeclared" at this point.
Plus the Mayor wrote on Saturday (his editorial in the Manly Daily) that he's spoken with walkers who don't use the singletrack "because it is too dangerous".
I'm not holding my breath for a satisfactory resolution anytime soon.
Yep, too true. This all comes dwon to numbers and, being publicly elected officials, the majority of councillors are going to vote in a way that is proven to them makes them look best in the public eye, simple as that. A few will vote for what they actually believe to be the "right" thing to do but that is unlikely to be enough to swing this in the direction that makes sense!
So the Mayor has spoken to walkers that don't use it because it is too dangerous. I wonder if they perceive it is dangerous because of riders or because those boards are treacherous when wet, or because of the number of large rock step ups/downs that don't have walking steps cut in them, or because of the uneven nature of the original section of rock armouring, or because of the metal ramps that go over the treated pine water bars, all council created, all to "improve" the mtb circuit?
I wonder if the mayor had enough common sense to ask why they perceive it too be dangerous, judging by his decisions to date I would guess not.
I wonder if he thought to himself, "Well the walkers have a self imposed ban, why am I banning the majority trail user?"
^ there is every reason in one post what the walkers would perceive as dangerous. I would almost put my genitals on it that its not because of bike riders! I would have a hard time walking that trail safely, imagine what the pensioners would be like that i see all so often on the trail!