Council supports mountain bike hub (+video)

A bid to create a Mountain Bike National Performance Hub in Rotorua has been met with enthusiasm by Rotorua district councillors.

Cycling New Zealand's chief executive Andrew Matheson and commercial leader Rob Waddell made a presentation to the Rotorua Lakes Council's operations and monitoring committee today in a bid for a partnership and funding to help with setting up the hub.

The proposed four year partnership with the funding of $50,000 for each year was passed unanimously, meaning Rotorua is set to become the country's official home of mountain biking.

Details of where the hub will be built and when, and how much it would cost, are yet to be revealed but Cycling New Zealand has partnered with Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and is planning on using it as a base.

It is also looking at using the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park for mountain bike training camps.

The establishment of the hub is set to be formally announced in September or October.