BMX track- Elfindale

[Stumbles]

any news Ryan?

[PVT_RYAN]

nutting 

nadda

kiks

vokoil

 

seems like the council ouens get payed lekker, coz they always on holiday!!!

And after st augustines had their function, things are looking really, really really sad!!!

[mitsu]

I'm in to lend a hand.

[Kad-Guy]

Very sad to see this thread...

 

I was one of the 'laaities' that helped in the making of that BMX track in Elfindale. I remember a few years back we invited Pedal Power over to test it out with some under privelaged kids too. Frek lekker times, i broke my arm doing a front flip on the last jump lol. 

 

Im still very adament on getting the BMX scene up and running in CT, for the sake of future generations, before it compeletly dies out.

[PVT_RYAN]

So there was misappropriation of funds etc, so now council is Tight with this project

 

 

       

[Bloukrans]

So there was misappropriation of funds etc, so now council is Tight with this project

 

 

       

Did you speak to Kevin Southgate?

 

Edit: I noted his name on previous posts

[PVT_RYAN]

Spoke to him last year, there was suppose to be a meeting with all parties involved and i got hold of 1 of the parties that tried to reserect the bmx plan. and was told that funds were wasted and that they want to do something, but are waiting on all the red tape approval, and they are waiting to see what happens to the front of the vlei as there are supposed plans for a bike track around the vlie. Heaven knows what is happening as it feels like i am getting nowhere, i spoke to guys wrt bike parks and was told that the original jumps that Chris Nixon did on the false bay coast side, was also "demolished" because of council red tape. so what can you do if council wields the power, even though you are trying to do good

[Kad-Guy]

1

[Matter]

Hi Guys

 

My name is Matthew Carter and together with Kevin Gaynor, Darren Stow, Nathan Grandi, etc we did a bunch of work trying to get something going in the Southern Suburbs.

 

We eventually settled on trying to develop the Princess Vlei, Elfindale site as it is zoned for Sport and Recreation and we have permission to build there.  We enganged with council and PPA and we got a bit of funding from them to get it going back in 2012 when the site was built, check out this video on the Western Cape BMX Facebook page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcipAL0HhXM

https://www.facebook.com/groups/305039150267/

 

Eugene Eggar (BMX SA Track Builder) gave us a design and with the 35k given to us by council we got a digger and helped shape what you see there today.  It is overgrown now but about 2/3 of the track was ride able with the last 1/3 still needing a topping of latterite.  The underlying surface is just river sand so you need at least 20-30cm of laterite topping to make it a permanently rideable surface.

 

I could go on and give you a blow by blow of the last five years but we have spent many hours trying to get it ridable and I have even spent my own money getting dirt to site which you can see off to the right if you go down there.

 

So what is needed...

 

Council is keen to get it done.  PPA is keen to get it done and there is funding available.  We tried to get Benette the Stelenbosch based trail builder registered as a council vendor to take over the maintenance of the track but he is not Vat registered and BBE certified to the level they require.  Shaun another local trail builder introduced me to Rob Vogel at PPA who I have emailed to try and register as a council vendor to unlock the funding available to maintain the track.  As far as I know he is busy trying to get it done.  But if you can apply some more pressure I am sure it will not hurt.

 

I am sure you are all keen to help but the reality of the matter is we need machinery.  A track like this needs a LOT of maintenance to keep it ridable.  The surface gets eroded and there is the constant invasion of weeds.  I have a track building document from Elite Tracks in the US which outline what is required to build a BMX track.  I would be happy to send it to anyone interested.  http://www.elitetraxinc.com/

 

If any of you know someone with a digger, bobcat and a heavy and light roller and the personnel to drive them we can use your help.  Alternatively if we could start a crowd funding campaign on this site to fundraise and then hire the machinery I know Shaun and Benette are happy to put in a few hours initially to get this going.

 

So I am happy to communicate with anyone who has the will to take this forward.  Unfortunately I have a job which takes most of my time so have put this on the back burner since Chris got the Uitsig park up and running.  However he is producing a steady stream of riders who will want to take their newly cultivated skills and test them against others.  So perhaps the time is right.....

[PVT_RYAN]

Thanks Matter, what a nice birthday presie for me......information of what has happened!!!!

 

Some Question though! How does the Princessvlei Development affect this project as i was told that their is something similar on the plans of the PDC and that council wants to get all parties involved, yet last week there was an article in the local papers on how the PDC plans are going ahead. so have you met with them, is the track under them, is it under you guys. what is the proper "story".

 

Like many others, we would like to get on board and assist, but there are to many people wearing chieftain hats and no one is actually saying what is happening, and how we should move forward. I speak to the previous counceller alot, i mean he is my neighbour, so i know some of the stories, and once again stories........no one wants to fess up and say: THIS IS HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. i tried and got told NO, there are other parties involved.

 

So once again thanks for this, but we undoubtedly have to wait for council to wave the white flag in order to move forward!!!!! in the mean time the crowdfunding idea could start churning, so that when the time comes and council says GO for IT, we will have the funds to go ahead.  

 

I do think that we should have an informal chat of people that want to be involved, so we can take a tally of the guys and gals and get a cohesive group going.

 

What you all think???

Hi Guys

 

My name is Matthew Carter and together with Kevin Gaynor, Darren Stow, Nathan Grandi, etc we did a bunch of work trying to get something going in the Southern Suburbs.

 

We eventually settled on trying to develop the Princess Vlei, Elfindale site as it is zoned for Sport and Recreation and we have permission to build there.  We enganged with council and PPA and we got a bit of funding from them to get it going back in 2012 when the site was built, check out this video on the Western Cape BMX Facebook page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcipAL0HhXM

https://www.facebook.com/groups/305039150267/

 

Eugene Eggar (BMX SA Track Builder) gave us a design and with the 35k given to us by council we got a digger and helped shape what you see there today.  It is overgrown now but about 2/3 of the track was ride able with the last 1/3 still needing a topping of latterite.  The underlying surface is just river sand so you need at least 20-30cm of laterite topping to make it a permanently rideable surface.

 

I could go on and give you a blow by blow of the last five years but we have spent many hours trying to get it ridable and I have even spent my own money getting dirt to site which you can see off to the right if you go down there.

 

So what is needed...

 

Council is keen to get it done.  PPA is keen to get it done and there is funding available.  We tried to get Benette the Stelenbosch based trail builder registered as a council vendor to take over the maintenance of the track but he is not Vat registered and BBE certified to the level they require.  Shaun another local trail builder introduced me to Rob Vogel at PPA who I have emailed to try and register as a council vendor to unlock the funding available to maintain the track.  As far as I know he is busy trying to get it done.  But if you can apply some more pressure I am sure it will not hurt.

 

I am sure you are all keen to help but the reality of the matter is we need machinery.  A track like this needs a LOT of maintenance to keep it ridable.  The surface gets eroded and there is the constant invasion of weeds.  I have a track building document from Elite Tracks in the US which outline what is required to build a BMX track.  I would be happy to send it to anyone interested.  http://www.elitetraxinc.com/

 

If any of you know someone with a digger, bobcat and a heavy and light roller and the personnel to drive them we can use your help.  Alternatively if we could start a crowd funding campaign on this site to fundraise and then hire the machinery I know Shaun and Benette are happy to put in a few hours initially to get this going.

 

So I am happy to communicate with anyone who has the will to take this forward.  Unfortunately I have a job which takes most of my time so have put this on the back burner since Chris got the Uitsig park up and running.  However he is producing a steady stream of riders who will want to take their newly cultivated skills and test them against others.  So perhaps the time is right.....

[Matter]

Thanks Matter, what a nice birthday presie for me......information of what has happened!!!!

 

Some Question though! How does the Princessvlei Development affect this project as i was told that their is something similar on the plans of the PDC and that council wants to get all parties involved, yet last week there was an article in the local papers on how the PDC plans are going ahead. so have you met with them, is the track under them, is it under you guys. what is the proper "story".

 

Like many others, we would like to get on board and assist, but there are to many people wearing chieftain hats and no one is actually saying what is happening, and how we should move forward. I speak to the previous counceller alot, i mean he is my neighbour, so i know some of the stories, and once again stories........no one wants to fess up and say: THIS IS HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. i tried and got told NO, there are other parties involved.

 

So once again thanks for this, but we undoubtedly have to wait for council to wave the white flag in order to move forward!!!!! in the mean time the crowdfunding idea could start churning, so that when the time comes and council says GO for IT, we will have the funds to go ahead.  

 

I do think that we should have an informal chat of people that want to be involved, so we can take a tally of the guys and gals and get a cohesive group going.

 

What you all think???

 Hi Ryan

 

As I said this is council land, it has been zoned as sport and recreation so we have a green light to get this finished.  I worked closely with the last heads of the Princess Vlei management team. Millie has unfortunately moved to Athlone and there is someone else in charge.

 

I met with some of the people who are involved in council but as I said their hands are tied as they have processes and procedures which they have to follow to release funding to get the track completed, and then maintained going forward.  I had no idea of the money something like this would cost when I started.  Unfortunately this is not sustainable without a steady trickle of funding as it requires constant maintenance.  Think of a BMX track as a 350m cricket pitch 8m wide and you start to get the idea.  We worked on the premise that once the track was completed we could form a club and get people signed up.

 

If you send me your mail address I will send you all the documentation we have generated over the years..

 

I like you just want to get it finished, there is no smoking gun of misused funds just a bit of naivety on our part of how much it would take.  The site is perfect and has such great potential ...

[Matter]

Looks like Krugersdorp have got it together: http://www.mygeni.org/photoalbum/Cycling_South_Africa/new-venue-for-bmx-nag-series-in-krugersdorp.mygeni?aid=4329

[Matter]

I have organised another 150 cu m of dirt for Princess Vlei.

 

Anyone have any spare machinery lying around we can use to get the track finished??

[Dale901107]

Hi, I was actually here on Sunday afternoon, and was curious as to why its so overgrown. My brother and I are willing to help with any labor required to get the place back up and usable again. I could get together a few guys that are willing to put in work and effort to getting it done, also, just a thought, we could clear all the vegetation there, gather a few local sponsors and have a day where boeries and drinks are served, we have a presentation on the sport and how its benefits within the southern suburbs etc the list goes on and on, please let me know how and when I can help. Inbox me or pop me an email at dale90110@gmail.com  .

That place has so much potential , and it could have a huge impact in the southern suburbs regarding riders and the general community by providing  a recreational activity for everyone, this has so many positive outcomes. I'am more than willing to do anything to get this place restored and functioning again. I'm from plumstead so feel free to let me know any updates and also where I could assist in moving it forward.

 

Thanx in advance

Dale