New race tracks at schools and in communities are the way forward for the Spur Schools MTB League and AmaRider, writes Meurant Botha.
Now in its seventh season, the Spur Schools MTB League has shown the power of local tracks in developing the sport, not only for the youngsters involved, but also for the communities surrounding the track.
A good example is the Southey’s Vines track, smack-bang in the centre of Somerset West.
By hosting a League event back in 2013, the local Wannabees club and AmaRider were able to develop a permanent 3km trail that is highly popular with not only the scholars, but local residents as well. On any afternoon you’ll find riders out on the track and the club even hosts regular time trials.
Currently, AmaRider is developing a new track on the Worcester Dam bird sanctuary site, adjacent to League regulars Montana High School, and the League has also financially contributed to a new track at St. Stithians School in Sandton.
So what is the process?
Our first step is to identify a suitable site. As the primary aim is to create a free, public access site one has to focus on finding a public open space and steer clear of commercially owned properties. These are usually owned by municipalities but can also resort under government departments like Public Works.
Everything on a local municipal level starts at local council level. Any proposal needs the support of the local ward council otherwise it is a non-starter. It makes sense to set up a local committee made up of local ratepayers to assist in driving the process. When you have local community support, things go a lot smoother.
We have found that an initial goal, like hosting a Spur League race helps a lot in terms of tightening timelines. You can host a race without too much trail construction to show all involved what can be expected as well as building support for your project. For example, the Southey Vines track started with a grass park and a few guys with lawnmowers. Today there are berms, bridges and rock gardens.
Finding a park or field with little current recreational use is ideal as the social conflict with existing users like walkers with dogs can understandably be problematic.
What type of track are we building?
It is important to be very careful on the risk and liability front when dealing with trails in public space. This is not the time to think Rampage! Not only will people get hurt, as you are exposing non-riders to the sport, but you will find your municipality to be particularly risk averse as the safety of residents are always of primary concern.
Furthermore, we always stress that the track is a temporary structure. Do not use any concrete or materials of a permanent nature. This makes it much easier for a council to approve a trial process, as the site can be rehabilitated quickly.
Finally, ensure that the trail is constructed in an environmentally sensitive manner and also aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Use only clean material (no building rubble) and do your best to landscape all earth mounds etc. Residents complain quickly if the site becomes an eyesore as it could affect adjacent property values.
