Nelson City Council has begun development of the Maitai Recreation Hub at the Waahi Taakaro Golf Course.

Once completed, the hub will include mountain bike facilities (pump track, bike stands, wash down and repair station), outdoor decking at the golf clubhouse, provision for a café and/or mobile stalls, new paths, a water fountain, an additional accessible toilet, new golf practice nets and additional car parking that will help relieve parking issues throughout the valley.

Community and Recreation Chair Tim Skinner said the hub is proposed to be connected to the city with a new off-road trail that will link to the Maitai Walkway shared path.

“The new trail will provide safe and easy access for cyclists and pedestrians getting to the reserve from the city. The journey is short enough that it would be a reasonably comfortable return trip for a family to make.

“This is all in line with our priorities to make it easier for people to choose an active transport option like walking or cycling. I think this will encourage more people to make the trip into the Maitai Valley, or to the golf course, while leaving the car at home.”

The project has been supported by the Waahi Taakaro Golf Club and the Nelson Mountain Bike Club (NMTBC), who have been involved in the planning and assisting with advice on the design and use of the hub.

Waahi Taakaro Golf Club manager Peter Watson said the club was excited about the prospect of more people using both the course and the club facilities.

“We have a great golf course here in a beautiful and peaceful setting within easy reach of the city, which we want more people to discover and experience.

“Being part of the local bike trail network should provide a further incentive for people to visit,” he said.

NMTBC Chair Melanie Schroder said:

"NMTBC are pleased to support both Nelson City Council and Waahi Taakaro Golf Club in the development of plans for the hub. We're certain that our members and the wider Nelson community will make great use of the facility, which further broadens the recreation offering in the Maitai and addresses the needs of the community by providing safe accessible parking at the base of our fantastic trail network."

Council is mindful that the hub provides trail head facilities for recreation users, including those using Ngati Koata land, and has reached an interim agreement with Ngati Koata that requires users of the privately-owned Codgers area to either be members of the NMTBC or register online at https://join.hivepass.co.nz/codgers (NMTBC members do not need to register).

Those using the Sharlands area must be members of the NMTBC. NCC appreciates the ongoing support of Ngati Koata for the provision of recreation in the region and supporting the development of the hub.

The hub is due for completion in April 2022, subject to the availability of materials. The upgraded connecting off-road trail may not be completed at the same time, as it relies on a different resource consent, which is yet to be granted.

Recent trail audits have identified a lack of easy bike tracks in Nelson, and the off-road trail will help alleviate that problem.

The hub was identified as a key initiative from Council’s Out and About on Tracks Strategy and the BERL report (Nelson Mountain Biking Economic Study, February 2018), which identified a lack of trailhead facilities in the Maitai Valley.

Councillor Skinner said he was pleased to see Nelson’s recreation opportunities becoming more accessible.

“Nelson’s outdoor spaces are very important to our community. I hope the new facilities make it more practical for a wider range of people to get out and enjoy them.”

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