MEDIA RELEASE - For Immediate Release

29 December 2016

Nelson receives one of the top Community Awards for 2016

The Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust has been recognised by the New Zealander of the Year Awards Office.

It is a semi-finalist in the Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year, which recognizes nearly ten years of hard graft by community.

Trustee, Elizabeth Bean, says that “the award goes to everyone in Nelson and Tasman. It belongs to all local enthusiasts, community groups and businesses who have been working for a long time to advance our local cycle trails”.

One of the Trust’s major projects is the Great Taste Trail, which now has 116km of off-road purpose-built trail. Ms Bean says that “Central Government and the Tasman District Council have been major funders of the trail. However, it couldn’t have been built without volunteer support from Rotary, secondary schools, Keep Richmond Beautiful and many others”.

She goes on to say that the Trust has received significant in-kind contributions to construction from local business, and landowners. Two that stand out are Nelson Forests and Ewings Poultry.

The Trust has around 90 Official Partner businesses that span accommodation providers, local attractions, bars, bike hire, repair and service providers, breweries, cafés, cycle shops, tour operators, ferry, food outlets, guided tours, health, restaurants, transport providers and wineries. This strong core of business partners has provided cash and support for fundraising.

Financial assistance has also been received in the form of grants from the Rata Foundation, Walking Access Commission and LGB Heritage Fund.

“So, you can see the award really recognises everyone in the top of the south”, says Ms Bean.

The Great Taste Trail is a success story with around 200,000 people using it this year (similar numbers in 2015). And, increasingly, people from other parts of New Zealand and from overseas are finding out about this gem. Last summer 36% of riders were from elsewhere in New Zealand and 9% were international visitors.

While the Trust has a focus on the Great Taste Trail, it advocates for other easy, short or urban rides provided by its component legs, and routes from Nelson city. The Trust also supports more challenging off-road riding on mountain bike trail networks across Nelson-Tasman.

Ms Bean says that Nelson-Tasman is a “must-visit destination for cyclists. We are one of only six destinations worldwide given a gold star rating by the International Mountain Bike Association, and home to two of New Zealand’s twenty-two Great Rides. We have this rating because where we live, cycling is a year-round adventure”.

For more information on the 2017 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Awards go to:
www.nzawards.co.nz

To find out more about cycling in Nelson-Tasman go to:

www.heartofbiking.org.nz

www.facebook.com/cycletrails

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