Headshot Posted October 31, 2014 Share I have just seen that the 33% increase for day permits has been confirmed. This is just over the top. Notwithstanding all of Pain or Shine's good work and negotiations for a great cycling future, it is time MTBikers stood together and sent a message to Pretoria: - 33% increase is TOO MUCH. Too much relative to inflation. Too much relative to the costs of equivalent facilities like Jonkershoek. Too much relative to the costs of cycling in other SANPark Parks. Too much relative to the effort SANMParks puts back into facilities for cycling. - The annual permit charges have also increased by huge percentages in recent years and do not represent good value when evaluated as above. - There is no discount for families or children. If I go riding with my kids or visitors on the board walk in lower Tokai, I have to pay R60 for each of them. - There are no facilities to sell day passes near lower Tokai, Rhodes Mem, or Kloof Neck, yet cyclists are still expected to purchase day passes to enter TMNP at these points. - None of the money collected is going back into cycling facilities. It is not even going back into areas where cyclists use TMNP - like removing alien vegetation from ex forestry areas. - There is no communication, no discussion and no public participation. No feedback to cycling interest groups. Even a few days ago TMNP officials could not confirm the new fees. Who regulates SANParks? Even TMNP rangers are confused about where cycling is permitted and where it is not. - The vast majority of the dedicated cycling track within TMNP was paid for by volunteers and cycling interest groups, not SANParks. - SANParks do virtually nothing towards basic management of the facilities or taking basic steps to ensure safety. Like erecting signage indicating where cycling is permitted or not permitted, closing tracks damaged by storms and trimming alien vegetation that dangerously overhangs jeep tracks. All of this is left to volunteer cycling groups. While SANParks collect entry fees their failure to do even basic management verges on gross negligence. Yet thousands of cyclists use TMNP and contribute hundreds of thousands of rands to SANPark's budget. SANParks say they are concerned about the impact cycling has on the environment. From their actions it seems they are more concerned about the contribution we make to their budget. SANParks say claim their objective with the 33% increase is to encourage cyclists to purchase annual activity cards. The real effective of this will be to encourage cyclists to cycle without paying at all. Particularly as there are multiple areas of TMNP open to cyclists, many of which have no access control or facilities for selling day passes. I live in the shadow of the mountain. I renew my activity card every year. I cycle at Tokai regularly. I have great respect for our mountain get lots of enjoyment from it. That is why it concerns me that the organisation that is tasked with preserving the mountain for us, uses it to raise more funds from cyclists every year, yet does very little to minimize or restore the environmental impact of cycling. It is time we send a message back to Pretoria. Maybe a petition, maybe a protest. At least some clear feedback from TokaiMTB and Table Mountain MTB. If our voices are not heard now, things will only get worse next year.Agree 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headshot Posted October 31, 2014 Share I'd like to know what Tokai MTB plans to do about the issue of the day fee increase specifically. Will there be some kind of interaction and issue raising re the increase, or will it just be pussy footing around the powers that be to preserve the "relationship"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Deon) Posted October 31, 2014 Share Can Tokai MTB not engage PTA on behalf Tokai's MTB users? Lets cut out the middle man - CT Sanparks and go to the top?Do we book flights or send a document? Trouble is with approaching Lithuli house is we would need to do it as Juju would, én masse, or take it to a political party to do it on our behalf. CoCT could be that vehicle but all this is a bit premature, we need fact and they also have a timeframe for the funds issue to be raised. My first thought is to agree with you but you and I can't change the thoughts and actions of others. If Sanparks need to be told we're unhappy through a loud hailler, pickets and petitions then so be it. There's a lot of unhappiness around the place dude. All of the stuff we've been discussing for years. Add to that the perceived mismanagement of the Alien vegetation situation, Safety issues and the frankly ridiculous day rate. I think we'll see the screams grow louder as the reality of R60 a day entry kicks in. See, this is where it gets tricky again. We understand the issue 100%, we ride the same trails and aspire for the same facility, but when the wagon full of pitchforks comes rolling passed threatening to derail the effort and money ploughed into a process that will still be needed anyway, do we jump on or try guide the people as the reps we are? Alien vegetation is not our fight - it's a direct result of TMNP not having funds to tackle the problem (that said, Working for Water have cleared from Fairie Garden up to Cobra and now heading down to the fence line. This has taken months to do, yet alien vegetation is still being thrown in the boiling pot.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappa Bear Posted October 31, 2014 Share I'd like to know what Tokai MTB plans to do about the issue of the day fee increase specifically. Will there be some kind of interaction and issue raising re the increase, or will it just be pussy footing around the powers that be to preserve the "relationship"? They represent trail builders not the riders as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappa Bear Posted October 31, 2014 Share Do we book flights or send a document? Trouble is with approaching Lithuli house is we would need to do it as Juju would, én masse, or take it to a political party to do it on our behalf. CoCT could be that vehicle but all this is a bit premature, we need fact and they also have a timeframe for the funds issue to be raised. See, this is where it gets tricky again. We understand the issue 100%, we ride the same trails and aspire for the same facility, but when the wagon full of pitchforks comes rolling passed threatening to derail the effort and money ploughed into a process that will still be needed anyway, do we jump on or try guide the people as the reps we are? Alien vegetation is not our fight - it's a direct result of TMNP not having funds to tackle the problem (that said, Working for Water have cleared from Fairie Garden up to Cobra and now heading down to the fence line. This has taken months to do, yet alien vegetation is still being thrown in the boiling pot.) Would a Tokai MTB club, representing the riders not be an entity that carries a bit of weight be a good start? If Tokai MTB now goes to PTA, they will say how many do you represent......show me your members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Deon) Posted October 31, 2014 Share At the moment, being part of a bigger forum made up of several groups with a large member count, I'd say we have the ability to show who we represent. Not saying it can't be done, saying there will be a time when it is required... Look, the R60 issue is just more ammo we need and makes the case stronger. Pussy footing around to preserve a "relationship" is possibly the best advice.Thanks Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headshot Posted October 31, 2014 Share Deon, that's the impression I have from my interactions here. Still waiting for a copy of the email to SANP from Tokai MTB lodging a complaint at the price increase. There is treading carefully and pussy footing. I advocate the former. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Deon) Posted October 31, 2014 Share Tim, most of the "info" you've posted in the thread already is flawed, why would your latest opinion be any different? First, I did not lodge a complaint. Have you ever peed into the wind? Second, not sure when last you have tried reaching your source that should not be sending emails out unchecked by others, but last week when I tried chasing for the info, because it is important to disseminate, I was met with this unexpected response..Begin forwarded message: I am off sick until the 3rd of November 2014. If you have any queries you can contact ...snip.. regards Saskia I get that you are angered by the increase but try look passed the what is on the surface and stop grabbing at straws surmising what you think is the explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headshot Posted October 31, 2014 Share Deon. you missed the point. The letter I want to see is what i wished you had written - why didn't you when you know people are peed off by all the pissing in the wind? By the way, Ms Marlowe has just responded to me and will be asking her comms department to address some of the concerns raised in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowta Posted October 31, 2014 Share My first thought is to agree with you but you and I can't change the thoughts and actions of others. If Sanparks need to be told we're unhappy through a loud hailler, pickets and petitions then so be it. There's a lot of unhappiness around the place dude. All of the stuff we've been discussing for years. Add to that the perceived mismanagement of the Alien vegetation situation, Safety issues and the frankly ridiculous day rate. I think we'll see the screams grow louder as the reality of R60 a day entry kicks in. I have to say there's nothing perceived about the mismanagement of the Alien Vegetation, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted October 31, 2014 Share Tim, the point is also that you need to let your appointed representatives do what they were nominated to do by us, and not undermine the process yourself. IOW - give Deon, Dan, Duane, Vince and Jason the fodder they need so that the collective ire can be focused properly. At the moment, you're creating noise instead if helping the cause. Which is something you argued very loudly for last year before the nominations came about. TOKAI Mtb, PPA, Table Mountain bikers and so on are our representatives. Send letters to them which they can collate and send in turn to parks. Don't dilute the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowta Posted October 31, 2014 Share They represent trail builders not the riders as far as I know.They represent riders, the "trail builders" you refer to are riders who are volunteering their time (ride time) to do maintenance on the trails, rebuild where Cape Pine has harvested trees, etc. No official trailbuilders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted October 31, 2014 Share I have to say there's nothing perceived about the mismanagement of the Alien Vegetation,Yeah, unfortunately. But... We don't know what the stakeholders are saying / implementing behind the scenes. Which is still part of the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowta Posted October 31, 2014 Share Would a Tokai MTB club, representing the riders not be an entity that carries a bit of weight be a good start? If Tokai MTB now goes to PTA, they will say how many do you represent......show me your members. They represent anyone who is interested in MTB at Tokai. There is no fee structure, i.e. only donations, so how can you record the members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted October 31, 2014 Share . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted October 31, 2014 Share They represent anyone who is interested in MTB at Tokai. There is no fee structure, i.e. only donations, so how can you record the members.The Forum could go. With PPA and Table Mountain Bikers as registered clubs and actual membership records that would br the best way to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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