Meerendal Membership

[tygerbergmtb]

 

...

We know you take a bit of a cynical viewpoint when something goes awry. Sadly, almost every loss you have listed can be "blamed" on both the growth of mountain biking and the obnoxious attitude by many of recent additions to the sport. We met with 2 landowners in the last 2 weeks and within the first minute of talking they refer to altercations with mountain bikers which left a bad taste in their mouths. This has eroded the sense of good will and this ends up costing us all money (and trails such as kliprug). If you can suggest some solutions to this dilemma, we're all ears (policing is on the increase to try to weed out the rogue riders).

 

The problem is multi dimensional and multi layered. The broad challenge that puts TBMTBC at a disadvantage is:

1. Year on year re-negotiations for land access and no real guarantee that land will remain available in the long run

2. Land owners not seeing eye-to-eye with each other or the recreational users of the land

3. Many access and departure points to the trails 

4. No cohesive riding system for day-visitors (unless they break the law / pay a fortune)

 

The solutions are complex, but may include:

A) A more sustainable land-use model that makes land available for longer periods and to have some form of profit share system that rewards loyal land owners

B) Introducing daily memberships. This effectively neutralizes the notion that a day-visitor / day-member is viewed as a non-member and does not get access to the trails. You should have the same info on a day-visitor compared to a year-visitor / member, ie. ID number, contact details and ICE details. It will remove the excuse for rogue riding as I believe that most of this occurs on the corridors and member-only trails. It will take a bit more admin, but should pay for itself in multiples. It also removes confusion where visitors are never quite sure whether they are now suddenly on a members-only section. 

C) Sharing the trails with others. Would Meerendal have gone on their own if the club members had a better attitude towards trail runners? I recall a debate on the clubs fb page that just showed me how self-absorbed and arrogant some members have become. I suspect that was the beginning of the end with Meerendal. 

D) Getting involved with the environment / community. We often are cycling through people's back-yards on farms like Contermanskloof and Meerendal. Perhaps think to do a night ride with donation for Christmas presents for the farm worker kids or assist with the preservation of the little renosterveld that is left on the trails. 

 

These are all comments I have made before to committee members and it is often easier to think of reasons why not to do things. The philosophy is simple: Put yourself in the various role players' shoes. Look at it from the perspective of the club member, land owner, visitor, farm worker etc. and work out how to get them all onboard. 

 

Yes G, we've got our challenges! Our relationships with land owners are very different to Bottelary Hills or Welvanpas and the club setup (NPO run by it's members) means that we have to abide by the majority. 

Some responses to your suggestions:

A: great suggestion and is being put into place for 2015. Landowners paid on a transparent system dependent on number of members, length of trail and some other factors. Landowners however are not willing to commit to more than a year at a time.

B: Day memberships - should be running within the next 10 days - 2 weeks (boards and invoice books being delivered hopefully tomorrow and just to roll out with resellers)

C: Sore point. Our members clearly stated that they didn't want to share trails with trail runners. If trail running is officially allowed on mtb trails, imagine all the self-righteous individuals thinking they have right of way . I think the split by Meerendal was more about the promoting of the Meerendal brand than it was about bringing new sports to the trails.

D:Agreed we have lots of room for improvement. Our funride is a small start (nature reserve and a local hospice are main beneficiaries) but will have to do more in the new year.

 

Now I think the time has come for a glass of wine and some down time

[Quantum Theory]

C: Sore point. Our members clearly stated that they didn't want to share trails with trail runners. If trail running is officially allowed on mtb trails, imagine all the self-righteous individuals thinking they have right of way . I think the split by Meerendal was more about the promoting of the Meerendal brand than it was about bringing new sports to the trails.

 

Even the Meerendal pamphlet clearly states it will be separate, dedicated trails for each...

[Dicky DQ]

How is Botlary Hills different?

[GLuvsMtb]

How is Botlary Hills different?

here is my understanding, please correct me if I got anything wrong. In short all the land owners formed a nature conservation and runs the conservancy as one entity. Essentially the land owners have direct control and does not have to double up on a club structure. The land owners are family farms opposed to corporate owners and they all have a common view on combining conservation and recreation. Whatever revenue is generated gets allocated to conservation and improving the trail network opposed to payment for land access that can get very expensive if a strategic land owner suddenly wants a bigger slice of the pie. Essentially their land is free, but they do add a premium for the conservation element.

[tygerbergmtb]

here is my understanding, please correct me if I got anything wrong. In short all the land owners formed a nature conservation and runs the conservancy as one entity. Essentially the land owners have direct control and does not have to double up on a club structure. The land owners are family farms opposed to corporate owners and they all have a common view on combining conservation and recreation. Whatever revenue is generated gets allocated to conservation and improving the trail network opposed to payment for land access that can get very expensive if a strategic land owner suddenly wants a bigger slice of the pie. Essentially their land is free, but they do add a premium for the conservation element.

you got it right  

[Tubeless]

Thumbs up to the club to respond here.

[BarryH]

Yep thanks guys please keep up the good work.

 

We still have lots of great places to go cycling, and the trails are in great shape.

[Wannabe]

Just a pity Sunday's "funride" is on the same day as the Burger Stellenbosch Cycle Tour.

Would have loved to be able to attend.

[KarlvN]

What about arranging a mass ride at Meerendal this weekend, just for the sake of it...just flood the trails with bikes.That would just be hilarious...

[tygerbergmtb]

The Tygerberg Nature Reserve are keen to hold another event at some point but will probably be exclusively in the nature reserve. We will probably pencil this in for february or march next year and will advertise beforehand.

[Raydek]

So seems Meerendal is going to stay as a trail on the TMTBC network for 2015..
 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/tygerbergmtb/permalink/10152593574862113/

[Skubarra]

So seems Meerendal is going to stay as a trail on the TMTBC network for 2015..

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tygerbergmtb/permalink/10152593574862113/

 

Awesome news!