Proposed New Cemeteries Plan impacts on Mangamahoe MTB Facilities

The New Plymouth District Council has released its draft master plan for cemeteries including the new district cemetery which will be sited at the southern end of Lake Mangamahoe Forest near Egmont Village.

Part of the proposed cemetery if implemented according to the draft plan, will from 2013 take over land currently used by recreational mountain bikers riding on trails recently created by the us.

These trails have been created in response to the loss of trails in the northern area of the forest due to logging of mature pine trees.

Recent events run in this area include the Taranaki Masters Games cross country, Taranaki Secondary Schools cross country and the Sparc Get2Go Challenge for secondary schools.

We urge the mountain biking public to submit online and recommend to the council that the loss of current MTB facilities proposed in the draft plan needs to be offset by the council supplying improved MTB access to the areas closer to the Waiwhakaiho River that is not suitable for either coffin or cremation ash interments.

Also cemeteries are also usually provided with running water for hand washing etc and the council should be prompted to extend this facility to provide for drinking water and bike washing facilities as additional compensation.

The draft plan and maps can be downloaded from the NPDC website:

http://www.newplymouthnz.com/HaveYourSay/Consultation/ProposedDistrictCemetery.htm

Have your say about the draft master plan of the new district cemetery by using the online submission form.

Feedback closes: 5 pm on Wednesday 4 June.

The public's feedback will be considered and a report will go to the full council in August.