What’s next for MTB on the Sunshine Coast?

Hey Folks,

Yesterday we sent out a post giving an update regarding the grants we currently have in place. This money will pay for new trails and training which was the most requested items in last year’s member survey.

However we need to look to the future and keep applying for more grants so we can keep the ball rolling and grow mountain biking within the Sunshine Coast.

So we ask you to start thinking about some potential projects that we can use when applying for grant money. Things like new trail ideas or maybe training programs for different rider groups e.g. beginners, women, children. The project has to be sellable to all stakeholders, be able to show how it will benefit the community and be in line with the club’s mission and abilities.

Some potential project ideas that are floating around at the moment are:

Marathon length trail right around Parklands
Bottle ‘n Glass or Mapleton downhill trails
Great Rides Trail Project – Glasshouse to Kin Kin
Skills area next to Ferny Forest green trail.

Once we get some pre-approved and planned project ideas on the shelf then it makes applying for grants a lot easier as most of the work is done and we don’t have to scramble around trying to get things ticked off before deadlines.

We will get a simple webpage made up where you can submit your ideas and we’ll have more info at the upcoming AGM so put your thinking caps on.

February 7, 2017

CATEGORY: Committee, Community, Grants, Trails

2 Comments

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Comments: 2

Deb Kelly
February 8, 2017 7:20 am

I guys, I was recently at Promised Land and Derby Tasmania, and couldn’t help being green with envy at their beautifully constructed environmental toilet, water tanks and picnic / rest area huts, along with ample parking at their mtb-ing locations. As a keen and frequent female mtb rider, I find it appalling that council have not provided rest areas at both Parklands (both entrances) and at Wooroi Day use area, and unfortunately I come across “bush” toilets too often, especially with the exponential increase in participation the sport is currently undergoing.

I don’t feel our hard earned grants should pay for this versus trail improvement, however, I do feel we need to throw some resources at lobbying BOTH councils for improved facilities as a matter of priority.

If you have stats and photos demonstrating the current participation rates (eg. full carparks on weekends, club numbers, mtbs sold on the SC coast, track care activities required to cope with the volume, etc, etc, I would be happy to help lobby them, as I’m sure others would be (Go-Girls for instance).

I look forward to your response on what has been done so far, and what else needs to be done to get, at the very least toilets, at these popular mtb sites.

Kind Regards
Deb Kelly
(Club member, Noosa area)

- bushrangersmtb
  February 8, 2017 8:09 am
  
  Hey Deb. You are right, parking and toilets is an awesome idea and always one that seems to be put in the “too hard basket”. It has been asked before and has met with initial resistance. The problem is that QPWS manages the land and they don’t have the resources nor do they want the overheads of maintaining toilets (cleaning, maintenance, security, vandalism etc). The councils may be more obliging but they do not have any land near Parklands (Radar Hill) or Wooroi. I don’t think its an impossible ask though as they are building toilets at Ferny Forest and I believe Sugarbag may get some so as you say, just need to get some stats and lobby the right people.
  
  Michael Johns

What’s next for MTB on the Sunshine Coast?