$13.2 million NZ Government fund to create Otago cycle trail network
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$13.2 million NZ Government fund to create Otago cycle trail network
The New Zealand Government has committed $13.2 million to the proposed extension of Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail, which will connect four existing Great Rides and link 30 communities.
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Unsplash$13.2 million NZ Government fund to create Otago cycle trail network
A 530-kilometre continuous cycle trail network across the Otago region will spread tourism spending to more local communities and create an estimated 329 full-time jobs, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis has announced.
“The new Central Otago Queenstown Trail Network will help draw visitors off the beaten track and encourage people to stay longer and spend more in communities beyond the main tourist spots,” Kelvin Davis said.
“Estimates predict the number of people riding the trail will more than double to 174,000 by 2032 and the average length of time that trail users stay in the area will increase by 33 per cent – delivering economic growth and an estimated 329 more full-time jobs across the region.”
Kelvin Davis also announced a total contribution of $281,313 to the Hauraki Rail Trail, Hawke’s Bay Trails and Waikato River Trails through the Maintaining the Quality of Great Rides Fund to help with emergency safety work and damage repair.
“The Government wants to see regional New Zealand sharing in the economic success of the country as a whole. As our biggest export earner, tourism is a fundamental part of the New Zealand economic story, and we’re committed to spreading those benefits far and wide,” Kelvin Davis said.
The project will see 122 kilometres of new trail constructed to connect the Clutha Gold Trail, Otago Central Rail Trail, Roxburgh Gorge Trail and Queenstown Trails, and extend the network north to Wanaka. A further 47 kilometres of existing trail will be upgraded.
The total project cost is $26.4 million. The Government contribution, awarded through the Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail: Enhancement and Extension Fund, is being matched by local funding, primarily through the Central Lakes Trust and Otago Community Trust.
Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail is a network of 22 Great Rides across the country, used by more than a million people per year.
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