Manly Dam Closed for works


FOB's picture

By FOB - Posted on 06 June 2011

Hello Mountain Bikers,

Sorry for the late notice, but we are having some work done on the track commencing today, Monday 6th June. These works will continue for a few weeks and will involve the use of heavy materials and as such we will need to CLOSE the track to all bike traffic during this time for the safety of riders and contractors. We will advise once the track is re-opened. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Kind regards,

Manly Dam Rangers

[Mod. moved to trail advocacy]

Rob's picture

Already reported as a status.

Thanks though Smiling

pancakes's picture

Let's hope it's not RIP Manly Dam.

BT's picture

Anyone have any idea what these works actually entail?

Brian's picture

A 10km bitumen cycle path Evil

Brian's picture

I wasn't far off. It's a paved cycle path

Manly Dam Golf Course single track works

KiwiRider's picture

Why close the entire trail? Why not just the section being worked on? Why such short notice also? Going by the wet weather lately it might be more than just a "few weeks".

Chris H's picture

Yeah it was short notice, but I'm surprised they hadn't closed the track after the rain last week anyway. We ran part of it yesterday morning and it was seriously muddy! Still lots of people out riding and causing plenty of damage to the track though

Rob's picture

Isn't it amazing how they can't find anyone who knows how to send email when it rains, but when a couple of workmen who are going to F*&% up the track are there then it's miraculously possible?

andyfev's picture

This feed has quite possibly ruined my already s##t day Sad

nrthrnben's picture

1.Exactly what consultation was done with the main usergroup of the trail before work commenced?

2.Why are you contracting people to carry out the work,when you could the labour for free from trained IMBA trail builders and the mtbers that ride it?

3.Also most of the trail work done on the allambie side of the Dam is not at all suited to mtbing (the main usergroup).Why is this?

pancakes's picture

I suspect the late notice and lack of consultation is directly proportional to the esteem Warringah council holds for mountain bikers. Pretty typical of the way they operate. Seems the mass sacking of the council, and then reinstatement, has made no difference. Sack the lot. :rolleyes:

snaphappy's picture

So how can we go about lodging a formal complaint/grievance? I know that this has probably been done in the past but these works are a serious joke! The only thing the council could be thinking is they just wanna piss the mountain bikers off and get rid of us all.....

This is really disappointing.

psd's picture

where is this paving going in anyway?

daveh's picture

Maybe the could also put handrails and, oh, yes...what about one of those pommel tows that they have at the snow for Heartbreak Hill. Then perhaps line the whole track with that soft spongy stuff they put in children's playgrounds.

I will say that my 93kgs dropping onto that along with all the other people that regular bash through there each week is going to make pretty short work of those pavers.

Brian's picture

but they look nice Eye-wink

Andy Bloot's picture

But they will do for a start

I hear there will be nappy changing facilities nearby as well

Clearly the Gandhi approach hasn't worked
Break out the rake hoes I say

CharlieB's picture

Which bit do they not understand?

Is it that most users do not want a paved path, be they on foot or bike? Regardless of the user numbers, (but let’s face it if you look at the users by volume you will have # 1 MTB, with probably #2 Trail runners and #3 walkers - with many falling into at least 2 categories), I’d say that for almost all of these parties, going for some exercise in the bush is not exactly enhanced by crazy paving.

Or is it that they have access to free labour (albeit heavily biased to the weekend) ready and willing to help?

Maybe it is that just someone needs a job and the only way to justify it is to do ‘stuff’.

stevebaker's picture

Isn't this section in the 'bike only' section as marked in Council's access map (http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/community/docume...)?

I can't believe the lack of consultation in doing this work - it's plainly obvious it's not to benefit mountain biking, who apparently are the only group allowed to access this section.

Bombard the Council with complaints

Glen's picture

How come Manly Council can work with the guy's responsible for the Grove, yet Warringah Council are still unable to work with mountain bikers at Manly Dam. Maybe the below article would work. Hopefully a amalgamation of councils would see councilors that fail to listen rate payers, large user groups and waste money lose their jobs.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/theres-more-than-one-w...

hairylittlehobbit's picture

Is there any point in writting to the council? would they even listen.

hawkeye's picture

I'm just waiting for the wheelchair access ramps and disability handrails to be installed.

Pete B's picture

I was thinking along the same lines, I wouldn't be surprised if they covered the pavers in the foam they have in kids playgrounds.

I wonder what else they're planning on doing as laying a few pavers wouldn't take all week and weekend ( unless the contractors are on day rate and rorting it)

Does anyone have a contact in the council or an email address that we can all send letters to?

Rob's picture

Come on guys - you sadly all know the drill too well:

1. Council does something stupid.
2. Riders bombard them with email.
3. Council change their mind but don't learn for the future Sad

From 1. above:

For those wishing to write to council, here's a handy list of addresses to copy/paste:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Or click here to email them all.

Lach's picture

Tired of being polite....

"Dear All,

I am amazed that in these times where councils and government generally seem continually strapped for cash, Warringah Council has decided to spend some money on something no-one wants.

I refer to the current work being undertaken to install rock paving on what is currently one of the "mtb only" sections of the track around Manly Dam.

This expenditure will be appreciated by 0% of the current users of that section of the track.

If there are concerns about the erosion of areas like the one now being paved, on the mtb sections or on the shared use sections of the track, mtb riders have been crying out for the opportunity to provide some free and enthusiastic volunteer labour to address those concerns.

Whose decision was it to initiate paving work without consultation with the users of that section of the track?

Who has decided to spend money that did not need to be spent and could have been spent elsewhere?

Who decided to upset a significant minority group by spending money on a facility that they use, which could have in fact been spent on facilities for another minority group that might have actually appreciated the expenditure?

I hope Councillors pursue answers to these questions and, more importantly, put in place some governance arrangements for the Manly Dam recreation facilities that makes Council staff accountable for their stupid decisions."

donkerr's picture

It's about public liability - I would bet my bike they are terrified of getting sued by someone who has an accident. I reckon that's why National Parks won't open up either. In NZ they have the ACC - a state run accident compensation business that rehabilitates injuries so public liability can't be put into action. That's being privatised too. I wonder how they get around it in the US. Does anyone know?

hawkeye's picture

I sent the following to rangers late last night. Probably not the most productive thing to say...

Hi Guys,

I’ve just seen photos of what is being built on the Wakehurst Parkway section adjacent to the golf course: http://all.global-riders.net/files/images/2011/0...

I’m struggling to believe my eyes. After all the public forums and focus groups WSC held for the POM review to understand what we value about the trail, and getting a singularly clear and unambiguous message, the response is ... this. What on earth was the person who commissioned this thinking? Is someone at WSC deliberately trying to destroy the value of the mountain bike trail?

If you’re going to turn the mountain bike trail into a paved bike path, why bother asking what we think as though it mattered? I’m going to stop now, lest I say something really offensive.

Sincerely,

[hawkeye]

Boris's picture

Technology popularity and facists, the god dam will never be the same again. B and for all realy hope not.

B

hawkeye's picture

Erm... [scratches head] Puzzled

hawkeye's picture

Just to be clear, the bit where we have our new barbecue patio appears on the following vid at 3:39?


http://contour.com/stories/manly-dam-golf-course...

snaphappy's picture

email sent to the above dist list. Polite and thought out, yet hopefully gets the point across.

Flynny's picture

reckon that's why National Parks won't open up either.

I wouldn't be so quick to dis National parks.

The oaks Single trail in BM NP has been approved for years. I've seen a study showing peek usage of 1700 per day on a weekend. Last weekend they did a bunch of trail work utilising volunteer labour drawn for the MTB community

Hop fiend's picture

Glenrock is run by NPWS & they have built stuff for us

Lach's picture

"I've put a question to the director concerned. I thought work at the dam were waiting on consultation.

Re projects no one wants: have you forgotten about the Harbord pods? Same problem.

Hope to be back with an answer soon."

Pete B's picture

At least you got a reply, let's see what the director comes back with.

hairylittlehobbit's picture

I got a reply aswell

"Thank you for your email today regarding Manly Dam Patio Area. The Mayor has asked us to pass on your comments to Council staff and they will get back to you as soon as possible."

CharlieB's picture

If this is due to public liability: they are paving a landing spot that I am sure, in time, will break up with pavers lifting and thus be rather more ‘interesting’ to land on than it currently is. Hum, sounds sensible. The numpties have no idea.

Sasco's picture

Whats the hell is going on? How is that possible there is no decent explanation of these works?

ido09s's picture

There is no logical answer to why they would carry work at this part of the track.

Is this all they have/are doing?

Rob's picture

Please see follow up Completed Manly Dam Works 12/6/11.

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