Tokai and Silvermine to remain closed to the public

[(Deon)]

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/54/homer_facepalm.jpg

[Slapsock]

Remember that political tenure is short term. What if the ANC manage to bus in enough voters to take control (or split control) over the City? The interesting bit is that if this was in Europe, Canada or the US, the mountain would probably be privately owned.

Sanp is run from pretoria so essentially ANC run, so if ANC took over cape town again it wouldn't make any difference to the current position, moving it under CoCT could only be an improvement. At least you have direct access to the decision makers

[DJR]

The management of Tokai and the greater Table Mountain National Park, is simply is not a political issue, and we should not make it one. To see darker motives and agendas behind what was done, or not done, is no more than conspiracy theory, not based in fact.

 

As much as I hate the fact that SANParks do not listen much to the locals and take our money without ploughing it back into our beloved mountain, the reality is that it will probably be best to deal with the devil we know. Yes, I also would like the decision makers to be based in Cape Town and to have direct input from locals into things that impact on them. I also think they have made mistakes, but they have done some very good things since they took over - Cape Point revamp, Chappies Toll, Boulders, come to mind. Some things were done well, but seem to not work well - Hoerikwaggo Trail not used much. Some things were handled poorly - Tokai and mountainbiking, I think. For the future, they have some great plans, for Tokai among others. They are also following a sound and rigorous process in formulating their plans, as opposed to doing bits on an ad hock basis.

 

I think the City of Cape Town is not in a position to manage Table Mountain National Park effectively. They do not have the expertise or the staff to do it.   

 

As an alternative, Cape Nature is perhaps the best positioned to run Table Mountain National Park. They have the expertise, the staff and the track record running several reserves successfully. But do not think for a moment that they don't have their own problems or that they will automatically do a better job. What I like about Cape Nature is that they are based in the Western Cape and that their funds stay here. Whether they will listen to the locals any better than SANParks, is another question.

 

Privatize the whole of Table Mountain National Park? I don't like the idea! I mistrust big business just as much as government to do the right thing.

 

In my opinion, working with SANParks is the best way forward for mountainbiking in Table Mountain National Park. The days when we were free to do what we felt like, ride where we wanted and build wherever we wanted, whatever we wanted, are long gone, and will not return. A formal structure, and working within that formal structure, is the only answer. (Keep in mind that I find this difficult myself, as I am inclined to want to rebel and do my own thing, so I don't say the above easily.) 

[Goosebay]

Sanparks is driven by political agendas - so whoever is at the helm influences the direction.  When the whole public participation process started re Tokai deplantation (some then still called it deforestation), the decision makers only pretended to listen - and spent truck loads of money doing so, money that could have built trails.  At one point they flew 6 delegates down from Pretoria to smile at those who thought they might be listened to. 

 

So I am not sure whether Sanparks with their current leadership is healthy for mountain bikers - some creative thinking needs to be done!

 

Maybe a brainstorm evening - to get as many ideas as possible - just one really good idea is needed.

[Eddy Gordo]

Well said, however I dont think privateers will be allowed to operate. One of the reasons as to why the mountains around the peninsula are national parks was/ is to prevent anyone from setting up developments of sorts or coining in on the mountain. The fact that there are indigenous fynbos etc is they key reason. 

 

I agree that cape nature should take over the custodian duties.

 

Can you imagine what the mountains would look like if it werent a national park?

 

 

most likely somthing like this 

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/154820217-rochina-a-favela-in-rio-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=No4f%2BZImTSBwCAcboBaFFLXzZce4f%2Bc10XJmRw7W79KeBfcwBK0EeVTtIxmcR%2F8p%2FchpZSftWK7NOqQrFOgBOQ%3D%3D

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Sanparks is driven by political agendas - so whoever is at the helm influences the direction.  When the whole public participation process started re Tokai deplantation (some then still called it deforestation), the decision makers only pretended to listen - and spent truck loads of money doing so, money that could have built trails.  At one point they flew 6 delegates down from Pretoria to smile at those who thought they might be listened to. 

 

So I am not sure whether Sanparks with their current leadership is healthy for mountain bikers - some creative thinking needs to be done!

 

Maybe a brainstorm evening - to get as many ideas as possible - just one really good idea is needed.

That is precisely what we as TokaiMTB are doing. 

[Goosebay]

When we were at the Night harvest and you looked across the valley to the other side - there was a defined building line - except the shack area.  Look at Knysna and a few other places.  Political will is a funny thing - it morphs and shapes to whoever is at the top.

 

We can be thankful though that TM is a world heritage site - it will help in the long run. 

 

But like DJR said - big business is also not the answer - we need ideas.  I read a publication put out by Scott a while ago (2009) on how some of the Swiss and French bike parks started - and often it is the case where it is one person driving the process - either for the love of biking - or money.  In this case it was the love of biking - and he needed to get the whole community involved for it to work.  Look where those bike parks are now. 

 

Hard work - the thing is - who is up to that, and how can he or she be supported.  There are some local SA examples...........

[Goosebay]

That is precisely what we as TokaiMTB are doing. 

 

Those of us outside the loop have no idea what TokaiMTB is doing - get a mail list going so that we can be reliably informed, and offer help and ideas. 

[Capricorn]

Well said, however I dont think privateers will be allowed to operate. One of the reasons as to why the mountains around the peninsula are national parks was/ is to prevent anyone from setting up developments of sorts or coining in on the mountain. The fact that there are indigenous fynbos etc is they key reason. 

 

I agree that cape nature should take over the custodian duties.

 

Can you imagine what the mountains would look like if it werent a national park?

 

 

most likely somthing like this 

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/154820217-rochina-a-favela-in-rio-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=No4f%2BZImTSBwCAcboBaFFLXzZce4f%2Bc10XJmRw7W79KeBfcwBK0EeVTtIxmcR%2F8p%2FchpZSftWK7NOqQrFOgBOQ%3D%3D

prime for Urban Assaults!

[Flowta]

Those of us outside the loop have no idea what TokaiMTB is doing - get a mail list going so that we can be reliably informed, and offer help and ideas. 

 

[dirtypot]

Those of us outside the loop have no idea what TokaiMTB is doing - get a mail list going so that we can be reliably informed, and offer help and ideas. 

 

Ping Cpt Armpies!  Come in Cpt!!

Your soothing tones to the masses are needed.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Those of us outside the loop have no idea what TokaiMTB is doing - get a mail list going so that we can be reliably informed, and offer help and ideas. 

100%

 

At the moment it's all a bit - how can I say - chaotic. 

 

We're working on several things at the moment, but none of them have firm timelines. apart from our project charter, which we want to be finished asap but no later than end April. Which, IMO, is something that we need before we can say that we're doing XYZ, otherwise there aren't any deliverable terms and so on. 

 

The fire HAS stuffed things up a bit for the moment (short term) but right now we're working to get back into the park to assess the damage, and at the same time getting our structures sorted so that we can prep for the fundraising to start in earnest. That, however, won't start until we have timelines from Parks as to when we can start rebuilding. Which we're pressuring them for.

 

We're also finalizing our project charter, which will be made public relatively shortly. That will work side by side with the EMP and Rationalisation project.

 

It all hinges on timelines though.

 

BTW - mailing list. 

 

We can't get a list from Parks that is specific to MTB, unfortunately (going to carry on trying) So I am thinking of ways to get it inclusive and easily accessible. Facebook, for all its usefulness, just DOESN'T work for stuff like that. 

 

how about - for the moment - ping me at mylesmayhew2409@gmail.com and give me your mail addresses so that I can collate them. Distribute this mail address to your mates and get them to send me a mail, or add their addresses to your mail so that when the newsletters DO start coming out (shortly) I at least have a group of contacts to send it to.

 

Feel free to send it to as many people as you need to.  

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

prime for Urban Assaults!

Bahahaha! Yeah, indeed. UA through IY, anyone?

[(Deon)]

Those of us outside the loop have no idea what TokaiMTB is doing - get a mail list going so that we can be reliably informed, and offer help and ideas. 

Sign up. Twitter, Facebook, Hub, Newsletter, Website..

 

@AMA_TokaiMTB

facebook/TokaiMTB

TokaiMTB.co.za

 

Obviously since the fire we are crawling around gathering our senses again.. think we've all taken a bit of a knock - so news for now is a bit sparse but the plans presented at the AGM is still on track, being that most of the work in the immediate future will be done at the table now that trails are closed.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Sign up. Twitter, Facebook, Hub, Newsletter, Website..

 

@AMA_TokaiMTB

facebook/TokaiMTB

TokaiMTB.co.za

 

Obviously since the fire we are crawling around gathering our senses again.. think we've all taken a bit of a knock - so news for now is a bit sparse but the plans presented at the AGM is still on track, being that most of the work in the immediate future will be done at the table now that trails are closed.

yeah, there's this (thanks D) but I also want to get a proper mailing list / newsletter out every now and then. Some people just aren't on these platforms, and we know how social media works - FB timelines are based on your previous interaction with that group, so if it's far down the list, you never see it 

[(Deon)]

100%

 

At the moment it's all a bit - how can I say - chaotic. 

 

...

 

Ah. Smiles has beaten me to it... happy anniversary dude.