THREE Opotiki woman are looking to upgrade the town’s pump track and widen activities in the area adjacent to Pakowhai ki Otuaopuku.
In a recent presentation to Opotiki District Council, Eden Edwardson, Nita Walker and Miriam Steadman said the BMX track that opened in May 2016 track was initially well used.
However, rain and silt build-up meant it was now damaged and required regular monthly maintenance.
They want to asphalt the track, making it long lasting, and set up a hub area with containers and shaded areas for other activities such as mau rakau, yoga, boot camps, weaving and painting.
Aileen Lawrie
Mechanics workshops and race nights would also be arranged to attract people, Ms Edwardson said.
The group are also worried the Opotiki skate park will disappear if the harbour development goes ahead.
“We are willing to take the pump track off your hands and thus reduce your stress,” Ms Edwardson told the councillors.
“This allows you to keep your main focus on the harbour development and the sewerage system.”
The group is seeking a collaborative approach for the design and construction, and has already spoken to contractors.
They asked the council for “support, money, guidance and permission”.
“The next step would be co-designing it with the community and the final step would be to do the work.”
Ms Edwardson noted the societal importance of play, which helped reduce “toxic stress”.
The group received positive feedback on the skill and depth of the presentation.
Council chief executive Aileen Lawrie said she was looking forward to speaking more with the group.
“It was an excellent presentation from the group and I was genuinely impressed with the work they had put in and their understanding of council processes and their place in that,” she said.
“The group is most welcome to make a submission to the long- term plan, but as I outlined at the start of the meeting, the long-term plan is designed to capture big-ticket items.”
Ms Lawrie said some of the things suggested by the group might be things the council could start working on now within the usual operational budgets.
“I look forward to staff having those conversations now and working with the group to flesh out a plan,” she said,
“Once we know that, we can see what activities might fit within business-as-usual council works and what might need to go through the long term plan process.”
Opotiki mayor John Forbes also said it was a great presentation and when he asked what the cost of the proposal might be he was given a figure of $70,000 to $90,000.