Tokai 2016 reopening

[Duane_Bosch]

Does anybody know why SANparks they dragging thier heels?

 

 

The re-opening of Tokai was all very exciting, and took place after a lot of hard work and HUGE efforts by various people (Deon and Myles etc), but that momentum seems to have slowed slightly. Or am I mistaken?

 

This isnt mean to be inflamatory or be taken as a dig at anyone, just questions that have been floating around my head

1 word. Government.

 

The guys involved (Deon especially) have the patience of Job.

 

BUT! If we look at what we now have access to. TM, Tokai, Greenbelts etc vs a year ago..... We really have absolutely nothing to complain about.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Gonna split this up as best I can. 

Does anybody know why SANparks they dragging thier heels?

 

It's their default setting, unfortunately. Mired in red tape, bureaucracy of the highest order and just general snail pacing. 

 

Can anybody explain what is actually happening with the bluegums - it doesnt look like they have been touched, which means that access to the whole park is still limited.

 

Nothing yet. Gavin Bell said to me (3 months or so ago) that there was an undergoing study on them (something to do with just how waterlogged / damaged they are - I can't remember the specifics) but nothing is being done about them YET. The gums were contracted out to a 3rd party though, and they may be logging them again soon. Then again they may not.

 

That area may be fenced off in the near future, which means less need for marshalling. MAY being the operative word. Waiting on clarification of that (there was a meeting this morning which should have touched on that - I wasn't present as I'm dealing with my own problems) but there is talk about certain areas being fenced off (outside the current area we have access to)

 

 

All the trail building (sponsored and with a lot of much appreciated volunteer labout) was great but seems to have been banned. The trails are needing maintenance and there was talk of new sections - can anyone say whay neither seem to be happening?

 

Sponsored - lack of funds at the moment, but the fundraising is due to start again, and we're working on something to ensure that that isn't a problem in the future. Tomorrow's fundraiser at Jack Black brewery for one, and then other stuff being "launched" at the AGM on 29th March.

 

Volunteer - due to start again in ~ 2 weeks. Date TBA shortly.

 

The alien vegetation is slowly being dealt with, but that task looks almost insurmountable - the stuff grows as soon as you turn your back. Are their resources for the long term control of this? At what point is the indigenous vegitation self sufficient?

 

They say there is a long term solution, but honestly I think the sheer volume of growth surprised even them. Current strategy is cut and los. My answer - notafuggingclue. The aliens are THEIR problem. If we need to clear them to get access to a new section of trail, we'll do that but only on a ~1m border either side of the trail. 

 

 

It would be interesting to go back 18 months and revisit all thier reasons for us not allowed to ride there. How many were valid back then, and how many are valid now?

 

Some were valid (hotspots of burning roots and soil instability for the first few weeks after the fire and the fear of falling trees) but once the trees were mostly felled IMO they dragged their heels. PROPERLY. We were *supposed* to open early (September) but pt1 (above) got in the way of that. 

 

The re-opening of Tokai was all very exciting, and took place after a lot of hard work and HUGE efforts by various people (Deon and Myles etc), but that momentum seems to have slowed slightly. Or am I mistaken?

 

Effort was mostly Deon & Mark, and don't let the lack of building fool you into thinking that there's no progress in other areas. Again - a lot of work behind the scenes is coming to a point in the next 2 weeks, and we should be seeing a lot more "visible" progress after that. 

 

This isnt mean to be inflamatory or be taken as a dig at anyone, just questions that have been floating around my head

 

No problem whatsoever, P. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

1 word. Government.

 

The guys involved (Deon especially) have the patience of Job.

 

BUT! If we look at what we now have access to. TM, Tokai, Greenbelts etc vs a year ago..... We really have absolutely nothing to complain about.

That EMP was Deon & Mark's baby. PPA may have funded part of it, but Deon has been driving it since day 1. Sadly it's taken a very, very long time to come through. But it's now here, and we've got so much more trail that we can legally access. 

[splat]

Thanks for your responses Duane and Myles.

I am very keen to see what you mention above come to fruition.

 

You are right, there is nothing to complain about in terms of options. There are some great loops with varied trails to be ridden from Table Mountain, above Kirstenbosch and down the Greenbelts and back up Tokai. That's some big mileage with some serious vertical meters.

We are very privelidged to have that on our doorstep.

 

But it's just that Tokai itself could be so much more. And with what's available in Durbanville, Stellenbosh, Grabouw, Elgin etc its frustrating to say the least...

[Duane_Bosch]

Thanks for your responses Duane and Myles.

I am very keen to see what you mention above come to fruition.

 

 

But it's just that Tokai itself could be so much more. And with what's available in Durbanville, Stellenbosh, Grabouw, Elgin etc its frustrating to say the least...

Just to confirm. I am no longer involved with TokaiMTB. I'm merely a consumer now.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

 

But it's just that Tokai itself could be so much more. And with what's available in Durbanville, Stellenbosh, Grabouw, Elgin etc its frustrating to say the least...

Yeah, properly frustrating. 

[DJR]

1 word. Government.

 

The guys involved (Deon especially) have the patience of Job.

 

BUT! If we look at what we now have access to. TM, Tokai, Greenbelts etc vs a year ago..... We really have absolutely nothing to complain about.

This roadie thing has made you so positive, it's sickening  

 

(But true, what you said above)  

[DJR]

Gonna split this up as best I can. 

Thanks for the feedback Myles.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Okay, this morning's meeting with Parks was cancelled by them. Mark is trying to organise another meeting time. 

[Duane_Bosch]

This roadie thing has made you so positive, it's sickening  

 

(But true, what you said above)  

I took to the road because Tokai closed. Now I'm an addict! Thanks Sanparks!!

[Headshot]

I took to the road because Tokai closed. Now I'm an addict! Thanks Sanparks!!

Its so much more genteel. And you can knock off 100km and barely break a sweat....

[Shebeen]

so what does this mean?..for mtb obviously, because harvesting is done up top right?

 

http://parkscape.org.za/2017/03/01/a-comprehensive-win-for-the-community/

[Flowta]

so what does this mean?..for mtb obviously, because harvesting is done up top right?

 

http://parkscape.org.za/2017/03/01/a-comprehensive-win-for-the-community/

 

This only applies to Lower Tokai. What is an issue at Tokai is the slow (non-existant) removal of the Bluegums

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

so what does this mean?..for mtb obviously, because harvesting is done up top right?

 

http://parkscape.org.za/2017/03/01/a-comprehensive-win-for-the-community/

Nothing at all. The piece they're arguing over is lower tokai, where the MTB trails aren't and where the dog walkers and joggers are. 

[splat]

This only applies to Lower Tokai. What is an issue at Tokai is the slow (non-existant) removal of the Bluegums

Apparently if you report the bluegums to the City Of Cape Town because of their high water consumption, they send the tree crew around to sort them out chop-chop.

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/162738-water-restrictions/page-7?do=findComment&comment=3076399

 

 

Yesterday the CoCT removed the Blue gum behind our house in Claremont that we had requested last year, they were so quick and so neat! So happy that the massive tree is gone, it was sucking around 500l of water out of the ground each day! Even in middle of winter the garden was a dust bowl! 

 

The tree was using 4 times as much water per month as our household! Very impressed with COCT!!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

Apparently if you report the bluegums to the City Of Cape Town because of their high water consumption, they send the tree crew around to sort them out chop-chop.

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/162738-water-restrictions/page-7?do=findComment&comment=3076399

 

 

 

Yesterday the CoCT removed the Blue gum behind our house in Claremont that we had requested last year, they were so quick and so neat! So happy that the massive tree is gone, it was sucking around 500l of water out of the ground each day! Even in middle of winter the garden was a dust bowl!

 

 

The tree was using 4 times as much water per month as our household! Very impressed with COCT!!

Maybe I should try that...