, president of the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club. PHOTO/BEN FRASER 230617bf1.JPGBy Georgina Harrisgeorgina.harris@nzme.co.nz
As part of National Volunteers Week, Redwood trail volunteers have been celebrated - while the Whakarewarewa forest was voted New Zealand's favourite place to ride off-road.
Rotorua Lakes Council kaitiaki Maori director Monty Morrison welcomed the attendees to the Galleria today.
"Thank you for the contribution you make... this ceremony acknowledges the contribution you have made to Whakarewarewa forest, and could I say as a person from Ngati Whakaue and Te Arawa, it is really a privilege for us to be able to enhance what we can offer you."
Mike Gray, secretary and treasurer at the Rotorua Trails Trust, spoke about trail development in the forest.
"An area of achievement from the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club is the rider development... our vision is Rotorua is known as the city of trails."
Mr Gray said the volunteers, who worked in all sorts of conditions, were as important today as they were in the early days of the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club.
He thanked Ngati Whakaue, the council, the Department of Conservation and Timberlands for their support and help.
Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson made no secret of his love of mountain biking.
"There's no place I'd rather spend my time than in the Whakarewarewa, and nothing I'd rather be doing than mountain biking."
He called the forest a "precious gem" and thanked the volunteers for "not only creating an outstanding place to play within our city, they've also created an extremely compelling pillar for our local visitor economy."
Rotorua Trails Trust chairman Gregg Brown and president of the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club Mathew Hunt were presented with a plaque in contribution of volunteer groups by Mr Donaldson.
Alfred Ngaro, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, who attended with his wife Moka, said it was an honour to be at the ceremony.
"Volunteers [are those] who went out and made things happen... and now it has turned into 150km of trails which are internationally recognised."
"[The Trails Trust] is a great example of a partnership between locals, council and iwi. Volunteers make a difference and this is a chance to stop and say thank you."
He spoke about Mr Brown "who has made a huge difference in the city and the nation, making [the forest] a destination. Thank you for your commitment, courage and resilience".
Mr Brown was given a certificate, and an image of the Whakarewarewa forest, in appreciation of his dedication.
Afterwards Mr Brown told the Rotorua Daily Post while acknowledgement was not why he did the job, it was nice to be recognised. He is stepping down as Trails Trust chairman after nine years in the role.
"I'm definitely going to keep riding. It keeps me fit and keeps me sane."
Meanwhile, Douglas List, national cycling manager at NZ Transport Agency, said the Whakarewarewa forest had been voted in an online poll as New Zealand's favourite place to ride off-road/adventure ride for the third year running, and second favourite to place to ride.
"It's a fantastic public facility with so much variety, new trails are being developed all the time."