News about our community pathway project.
We have some great news to share - all land ownership issues for the proposed footpath route along the Moutere Highway have been resolved.
This means that Tasman District Council now owns all the land it needs to build the complete footpath between the Community Centre and the village. When the weather improves this summer (perhaps January/February 2025) Council will proceed to complete the footpath.
While it's been a slow (and at times painful) process, we are excited about making progress. What a great asset it will be for us all!
Tasman District Council have been working to secure the land required to complete the planned pathway, however unfortunately as of February 2021 have been unable to obtain a section required to complete the work.
As a result Tasman District Council inform us the pathway will not be able to be constructed this year as planned. However they are still committed to the project and aim to progress it in the future.
While this is a disappointing setback we are optimistic a solution can be found in the next year that will allow the project to continue.
Tasman District Council will post an update letter direct to some residents in the next few weeks.
TDC held two public meetings on 25 August 2020 to present the initial concept for the proposed footpath from Upper Moutere Village to the Community Centre.
TDC's road engineer Graham Rimmer and Transportation Manager Jamie McPherson presented proposal drawings and plans.
Both meetings were well-attended and a lot of overall positive feedback was provided. Our ward councillors were all in attendance, as were the principal of Upper Moutere School and representatives from other local community groups.
Click below for a collection of notes from the meetings, in case you were not able to attend.
Prompted by questions at the public footpath consultation meetings, we are here summarising the various considerations and developments with regards to route options along the rivers:
History
For several years, the Moutere Hills Residents Association (MHRA) had been investigating the possibility to create a pathway between Kelling Road and Supplejack Valley Road alongside the Moutere River, or alternatively along the NZ Company Ditch to the East of the village.
As is the case for the highway route options, public land availability has always been a major limiting factor. Some sections of the river route had been available for the pathway at different times, but at no time was a complete, continuous route available.
See below for all the reasons now supporting the highway route.
FOOTPATH PROPOSAL: HIGHWAY ROUTEThe TDC transportation department has invested a lot of time and effort investigating possible routes along the highway - including options on both sides, with or without pedestrian crossings, crossings on the open highway and/or inside the village.
The route now proposed is to start right in the village centre from the end of the existing footpath just outside the Upper Moutere Store, then run entirely along the west side of the Moutere Highway down to the Kelling Road intersection and there connect to the existing footpath just outside the Country Kids preschool.
This route has been chosen because it is the only option that entirely avoids any highway crossings, which is an obvious huge safety benefit.
Click on 'read more' to see the proposed maps and more details.
Tasman District Council has developed a preliminary design for a possible route of the proposed shared pathway between the Moutere Hills Community Centre and Upper Moutere Village.
TDC will hold two public community meetings on one day next week to present the proposal and collect feedback from local residents. The public meetings are:
Tuesday 25 August 2020
Meeting 1 at 11:00am
Meeting 2 at 6:00pm
at the Moutere Hills Community Centre
This is an important event for the development of the pathway, so please be sure to attend and provide your feedback and suggestions.
The Moutere Hills Residents Association (MHRA) is assisting TDC by forwarding the invitations to the community meeting. We are also offering to collect feedback and suggestions from any community members who are unable to attend the meetings, and we will collate any feedback received and forward this to TDC.
Details of the proposed pathway route and maps with several options will be available shortly on the MHRA website. There will also be an online survey to collect feedback prior to the public meetings.
Last year in May Council elevated the proposed footpath connection from the Moutere Hills Community Centre to Upper Moutere Village running alongside the Moutere Highway to become one of the four next footpath projects to be delivered by Tasman District Council. At that moment, planning for the footpath went over into the hands of the TDC Transportation Department.
Since then the TDC engineers have been busy investigating possible construction options for this footpath. MHRA committee members met with two of TDC's engineers this week to get an update on current developments.
At a full council meeting on May 23rd, Tasman District's Councillors and staff convened to discuss the list of proposed new footpath projects to be undertaken in the district over the next few years.
Following intensive review and debate and taking into consideration budget limitations, safety priorities, and ranking of projects, Council unanimously approved the proposal brought forward by the engineering department, which is to engage in the design and construction of the four highest ranking footpath projects over the 2019/20 and 2020/21 periods.
The four highest ranking projects are
These four footpaths are to be developed side-by-side as a package, taking into consideration the differing nature and challenges faced in each project.
MHRA welcomes the Council's decision and is looking forward to co-operate with the TDC Transportation Department for design and construction of our local footpath, and of course to working with all landowners who might be affected by the construction.
Following completion of the first short section of footpath, our most important long-term goal as residents association continues to be the creation of a walk and cycle path to connect the Moutere Hills Community Centre to Upper Moutere village.
The MHRA committee recently performed a renewed and detailed review of all the available possible routes for this pathway - taking into consideration such things as total travel distance, construction cost, community preference, deviations, land access, possible hazards, difficulties arising from falling trees, damage from expected flooding along the rivers, maintenance cost, and more.
With many thanks to our supporters: Sarau Trust, our contractors (Hockley Brothers, Chambers & Jackett, Taylors Contracting), Tasman District Council, Moutere Hills Community Centre, Country Kids, and our helpful adjacent landowners for access and storage space.