The Southland BMX Club’s quest to build a new national standard track at Elizabeth Park In Invercargill has been provided with another tick of approval.
The club’s current track at Elizabeth Park in Invercargill, built in the late 1990s, has fallen behind national standards for BMX tracks.
In 2018 the club indicated they wanted to move from Elizabeth Park to Surrey Park, but when the council put that idea on the backburner the club switched its focus to another location in Elizabeth Park.
Club members approached the Invercargill City Council about building a new track in Elizabeth Park, to the east of the current track and utilising the natural terrain of the hill.
In August last year councillors voted to conditionally approve the concept of re-development of the BMX track within Elizabeth Park.
However it would require a change to the Elizabeth Park Management Plan to ensure the BMX track could proceed.
Council officers undertook a full review of the Elizabeth Park Management Plan and consulted the public.
Council received 38 written submissions with 36 submissions in support, one opposing, and one neither supporting nor opposing, in regard to allowing for the BMX development through an amendment of the Elizabeth Park Management Plan.
Many of those in support were members of the Southland BMX Club, or parents of members, who outlined why a new track would be boost for the sport and those involved.
Public Health South also submitted in support of the new track and commended the foresight and work the club had delivered to date.
The Public Health South letter suggested making the track accessible as possible to the public to increase the chance of families getting active.
Braydan Marsden, of Invercargill, believed the focus should be on introducing a Disc Golf Course at Elizabeth Park rather than a new BMX track.
“The BMX track doesn’t see enough use as it is. What Elizabeth Park would really benefit from is a Disc Golf Course. Queens Park has already seen an increase in players and traffic of immense proportions,” he said.
At a council infrastructure and servicess committee meeting on Monday councillors voted in favour of amending the annual plan to allow the BMX development to go ahead.
The recommendation will need to be signed-off at the next full council meeting.
Cr Darren Ludlow said he fully supported the BMX plans and said the club did ensure as many people could have a go at the sport as possible.
The Southland BMX Club had a provisional estimate which suggested the cost of building the track would be about $418,000.
It hoped to be funded through its own fundraising along with other potential funding partners.
– stuff 16:05, Mar 23 2020
