Moutere Hills Community Pathway

The goal of this project is to create a safe walk and cycle track from the Upper Moutere village centre (school grounds) to the Moutere Hills Community Centre on the Moutere highway.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
  • April 2019: MHRA constructs first 180m of footpath using community funds and resources
  • May 2019: MHRA committee reviews options and proposes most suitable route to village alongside Moutere Highway
  • May 2019: TDC Council Meeting approves footpath to village as one of four Council footpath projects to be constructed 2019-2021
  • August 2019: Moutere Highway route site visit with TDC road engineer
  • November 2019: TDC performs Boundary Surveys alongside the highway and initiates contact with various landowners.
  • August 2020: TDC presents proposal design for a shared pathway route along the Moutere Highway with public community consultation meetings held at the end of the month
  • February 2021: TDC advises that construction of the pathway needs to be further postponed, as a necessary land section could not be obtained
GOALS

With this pathway we are trying to provide

  • safe passage for school children travelling on foot or by bike from home to the school or from the school to events at the community centre without being endangered by highway traffic
  • an safe route for pedestrians and cyclists travelling from the North into the village centre; this could include visitors to events at the community centre proceeding to visit the village
  • where off-road sections are possible, this will create options for a afternoon walk, a morning run, or pushing a pram somewhere off our busy country roads

If this pathway can be created with success, it can open up options to establish further tracks or walkways in our area.

WHERE IS IT GOING TO GO?

The current proposal is for a shared pathway directly alongside the Moutere Highway.

See this article for why this is now the preferred route option: MHRA Promotes Footpath Along Moutere Highway

See this article for proposed plans of the route: TDC Footpath Proposal: Plans, Details, and Options

WHY IS THE FOOTPATH IMPORTANT?

A footpath or shared pathway will be the only way to travel safely to the village from the North for anybody not in a motor vehicle.

Tasman District Council manages a list of proposed footpath projects in the district and evaluates all possible pathways using a ranking based on various traffic safety factors.

In March 2019 the footpath into Upper Moutere Village was ranked highest priority for importance and safety out of all 85 proposed footpath locations in the entire district.

See: TDC Footpath Projects Draft Priority List

WHO SUPPORTS THE FOOTPATH?

Aside from local residents, the footpath is supported by the following local businesses and institutions by way of a formal letter of support:

  • Upper Moutere School
  • Country Kids
  • Moutere Hills Community Centre
  • St Pauls Lutheran Community Church
  • Moutere Community Youth Trust
  • Sarau Trust
  • Rangers Football Club
  • Moutere Inn
HISTORY

Read here about the history of the project so far: Moutere Hills Community Pathway - The History

WHAT ABOUT THE RIVER ROUTES?

See here for a summary of why we believe the highway route is the most feasible for the footpath, and whether there is potential for secondary tracks along the rivers in the future.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

If you think this would be a valuable addition to our area and would like to show your support for this project then you can do so by

  • becoming a member of the MHRA (see Becoming a Member)
  • providing us with a letter of support if you represent a local business or a local group such as a sports club, youth group, church group, or similar
  • simply leaving us with a comment or your thoughts on the project which we will gather on this website
COMMENTS

"What a great idea. This would be so well used by the wider Moutere community."

A Briggs

"The walkway would mean I could let my children cycle into the village to see their friends without worrying about logging trucks and cars travelling at speed on the highway."

B Sellers

"I regularly cycle between the two places, for both leisure and business and it would be a much safer option if I could do this journey away from cars and trucks."

Nicky McBride
Wheelie Fantastic Cycle Hire & Tours

"I think it's a fantastic idea! As a mum of three pre-schoolers I currently go out walking with the pram in the community we're in. When I visited Upper Moutere I did feel a little concerned that this may be an issue especially when walking between the community centre, kindy and school."

M Grove-Roberts

"To have a community centre effectively accessible only by car is something that should be rectified. We fully support the efforts of the Moutere Hills Residents Association moving the walkway idea forward."

David Watson and Andrew Cole
The Moutere Inn

"A pathway would give the youth of Upper Moutere opportunity for more independence and the MHCC could be a place the young members of this community could actually access by themselves and make use of the facilities offered."

Tessa and Daniel Werner
Community Youth Workers

"Currently there is no safe way for the community to commute between the village and the centre unless they have a car. This stops children, youth and adults from being able to travel between the two locations. The proposed walkway/cycleway will allow people without a car to travel safely between the two."

Pastor Chris Janetzki
St Paul's Lutheran Community Church

"We are fully in support of this project and are happy to support it in any way we can as we believe it will create valuable infrastructure for locals and visitors alike."

Phil Grover
Moutere Hills Community Centre

"The Upper Moutere School Board of Trustees supports your group's endeavours to establish a cycle/walkway between the village and the Community Centre. Last year when we consulted our school community this was a concept that was raised by a considerable number of the parents present and seen as a priority."

Grant Watson
Upper Moutere School

"It will encourage both young and old to walk or cycle to activities on offer at both locations, making it a healthier option for the individuals and also cutting vehicle traffic through the area."

M Lowe

"Neudorf Vineyards fully support the efforts to increase safety when travelling from the village to the recreation centre. It is a valuable step forward for our young  people and we older folk will enjoy strolling in the area without the fear of high speed trucks."

J Finn
Neudorf Vineyards

"The community cannot afford to let this opportunity go. Many of our neighbouring communities are enjoying the significant benefits to the residents and tourists that a cycle asset like the pathway brings."

J McIntyre
Abel Tasman Cycle Challenge

 

"Presently there is no walkway, and it is a real threat to anyone walking or biking. We think this would be a great addition to the community. It would provide safety, convenience and overall a fantastic way to transport kids without needing a car."

"We also have a connection with Country Kids, where we attend the pre-school and help with duties and building friendships with the children there."

Students of Upper Moutere School

"The Trustees of the Sarau Trust unreservedly support the concept of the development of a safe Community Pathway. Particularly our concern is for the safety of children moving from their homes in Kelling Road to and from the local Upper Moutere School. A walkway would undoubtedly enhance the safe movement of local children."

J Leith
Sarau Trust

"We fully support the pathway project as described. It would be advantageous to have players able to access the football domain from Upper Moutere village without the reliance on motorised transport."

K Lattimer
Rangers Football Club

"We have had many guests who either wanted to walk or cycle to the village from Lancewood Villa. They could easily connect to the walkway/cycle way from Kelling Road.  This would be a great asset for the local community and visitors and address serious road safety concerns."

Alastair and Fiona
Lancewood Villa