Sign In / Register
Plans for a purpose-built mountain bike park in Mangawhai have taken another step forward, with new signs officially announcing the long-awaited community project.
The Mangawhai Bike Park Trust has spent over a year developing the project, which will transform an area of council-owned land behind MAZ (Mangawhai Activity Zone) and the Mangawhai Museum into a mountain bike park for riders of all ages and abilities.
The latest milestone comes as the trust’s development agreement with Kaipara District Council nears completion. The trust has signed the agreement, and council is expected to complete the process soon.
Ken Rayward, former MAZ chair and Mangawhai Bike Park committee member, says both council and the community embraced the idea of a bike park from the beginning after local children started building their own jumps in the bush behind MAZ.
“The kids created some amazing jumps – world-class in some cases – and instead of trying to fight that enthusiasm, council decided to join them and harness the skills of the kids, the parents and the wider community. That was really the foundation for getting this project started,” he says.
Since its establishment, the trust has secured charitable status, receiving its first funding from the Mangawhai Community Op-Shop earlier this year. Tenders have also been issued for a professional design of the park, which will provide the detailed plans and costings needed for future funding applications.
The park will eventually include progressive riding trails designed to challenge riders as their skills develop. Specialists from established bike parks, including Woodhill, have also provided advice on designing trails suited to Mangawhai’s sandy terrain.
While the committee and council have played a key role in getting the bike park off the ground, committee member Arnna Alexander says local youth will always be at the heart of the project.
“We are constantly engaging with the kids and ensuring they are a part of this process because it really is their project. We have added a clause to a contract stating that this is all youth-driven, so any future committees will have to adhere to that.”
Rayward says the park will not only benefit locals but also become another attraction for visitors.
“Around New Zealand, wherever they have put in a bike park, it has been a wonderful boon for the community. Within a relatively small area, you’ll have MAZ, the bike park, the museum and kilometres of walking tracks,” he says.
The trust plans to fence the site in the coming months, with construction to begin once funding is secured. The committee hopes riders will be using the first trails by early summer.
