You are hereForums / By Discipline / Mountain (off road) / By Location / Australia / NSW / Northern Beaches / Northern Beaches Trail Advocacy / Update on Manly Dam Maintenance Days
Update on Manly Dam Maintenance Days
A few weeks back, when I thought the dust from the Manly Dam debacle had settled, thought it was time to ask council what is going to happen with maintenance days.
The story so far (for those that don't know) is that I've been asking the rangers there since June 2008 (22 months!) when riders can help maintain the track they love so much. Each time I ask, they are always "coming soon". More examples of when I spoke to them and was told the same thing:
April 2009: http://nobmob.com/node/8820
September 2009: http://nobmob.com/node/10703
Anyhow, I now have a more official response which reads:
The reinstatement of the volunteers is to follow the review of the Plan of Management, in the even that the review finds it appropriate to do so.
The rationale for this is that there is no point having mountain bike volunteers maintaining parts of the track that may not be used as mountain bike track. The emphasis at this time is preparing a scope of work to get the Plan of Management underway.
As per the Council resolution: "the options report for the Manly Warringah War Memorial Park (Manly Dam) should include advice, options and costs for deploying volunteers from the mountain biking community to repair and renew suitable works and clear debris from biking activities on the Manly Dam bike track. This work should ensure:
- enhancement of track sustainability for all users
- maintenance of the enjoyment and safety of all track users
- protection of the natural heritage values of the bushland
- habitat protection and wildlife safeguarding;With any future volunteer repair and maintenance work to:
- be carried out under strict supervision;
- be subject to a Memorandum of Understanding as agreed by relevant parties;
- be carried out by OH&S-trained participants;
- result in no additional tracks being constructed or the expansion of existing mountain bike tracks at Manly Dam."
I'm not going to taint anyone's view here with what I think this means... make up your own minds.
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
It's hard. Sorry but I can't see anything through all the red tape.
And the translation is
Be patient
It will be at least another 22 months until a decision is made that a decision needs to be made
one cant undertake maintenance on enjoyment or safety
Maybe it should read "enhance the enjoyment and safety of all track users"
Some main points i guess we need to get across to them is that by volunteer maintenance of the manly dam mountain bike trail to IMBA standards it will not only improve the following:
Safety via Signage and Design
Relevance and enjoyment for users by utilizing natural and complementing features whilst undertaking maintenance on single trail
Sustainability via redesign of existing single trail sections
Sounds promising.
"With any future volunteer repair and maintenance work to:
- be carried out under strict supervision;
- be subject to a Memorandum of Understanding as agreed by relevant parties;
- be carried out by OH&S-trained participants;
- result in no additional tracks being constructed or the expansion of existing mountain bike tracks at Manly Dam."
By the looks of it if all goes well in the review, volunteer maintenance is a very possible option.
I figure the strict supervision is simply a ranger in the group. The guidlines of said Memorandum is simply to keep the track true to what the track is there for, ie shared usage, safe and enjoyable for all. OH& S trained participants is a bit of a hurdle. Is this going to be a quick run-down before a maintenance session and wear some appropriate clothing.footware? Or is this going to be a 'Go for a one day course out at Timbucktoo and aquire/pay for a specific OH&S cert. Also, the additional tracks is a given I would've thought.
I suppose only time will tell...
and have an OH+S cert!
about time a did a maintenance day at the dam, mind you, it'll probably be out of date before the powers that be pull their fingers out and organise something!
May be a silly question but what would happen if one day I brought some clippers with me and trimmed some of the branches that almost poke my eyes out every time I ride the loop? Is this a big no no, or would it be OK? If the rangers saw me, what would or could they do?
They should already be doing it , if it's there park it should be getting maintained or just snap it off it it looks too dangerous as long at it is snapped back so it can't injury anybody else too
I think what would happen is that those branches would no longer pose a risk for poking your eye out.
The rangers would have to get out of their 4WD and actually walk the singletrack sections to see you. I don't know anyone who's seen a ranger do that.
Anyone?