ATTENTION PLEASE READ: ALL BRISBANE RIDERS!!!!!!

[Mr Van]

Hey Guys,
I have sent this letter of complaint to the council concerning the rescent proposal for us to pay to use the tracks in Mt Cootha. If you agree with what i have said in this letter please follow the attatched link and email this exact same letter to the Lord Mayor. Feel free to add more comments to the letter. Hopefully if 100's of people send this letter, the council will see our point of view. EVERYONE PLEASE SEND THIS!!
Thanks guys (See Below)

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/lordmayorsoffice/

Dear Mayor,
I am a local mountain biker, i am representing over 500 mountain bikers in Brisbane who use the Mt Cootha tracks to ride on. It has come to our attention that we may have to pay or be banned from using the tracks in Mt Cootha because of the "destruction of the environment" we are causing. However the mountain biking community is more than willing to organise a commity that will maintain and take care of the tracks at a level that is approved by the council. I believe that it is incredibly unfair of the council if we have to pay to use these tracks. Mountain bikers are constantly recieving abuse from the public about riding in urban / city areas, Mt Cootha is a great place for us to ride and stay out of the public's way. Atleast we are not graffity'ing on city walls, taking drugs and tossing needles, loitering and being nuisences in our society, we just appreciate riding in the environment and having fun. If this new rule is brought into play it will give us no where to ride and we will be forced to ride around the city. We think that it is incredibly unnacceptable and unfair that we should PAY to use these tracks when skaters get skate parks for free, children get playgrounds for free and a 30 million dollar walking bridge is constucted at tax payers expense. All we ask is that we are allowed to ride in Mt Cootha for free and either rangers maintain the tracks or a mountain bike track maintenance comitee is formed to regularly maintain the tracks.

Regards,
Local Mountain Biker

[Rik]

And if you can be bothered, type up your own letter... personalised ones have alot more significance than copy+pasted ones. I'm sure there's some smart guys that can offer their letters to send in as well.

[peachy]

kudos to you dude, i'm sending

[Turley]

I know it has been said before but:

I dont' mind paying for use of the land BUT mtbers are perfectly capable of maintaining tracks! We just need to be allowed to without risking thousands of dollars in fines!

[dread pirate]

There is something similar running on MTBDirt, it had the email address for the key people in deciding trail access:


EMAIL TO:

LORDMAYOR@brisbane.qld.gov.au
PPOCLM@brisbane.qld.gov.au
enquiries@brisbane.qld.gov.au
thegap.ward@ecn.net.au
duttonpark.ward@ecn.net.au
gillian_duncan@hotmail.com


INSERT YOUR ADDRESS HERE


IINSERT DATE HERE


Brisbane City Council


Attn:
Tim Quinn
Helen Abrahams
Geraldine Knapp
BioDIVERSITY Advisory Committee
Environment and Parks Manager


Dear Sir or Madam


RE: Gap Creek Trails Alliance Submission – 19 February 2004


As a mountain bike rider I support the recent submission by Gap Creek Trails Alliance proposing that bicycle access be encouraged in bushland areas in the greater Brisbane region.

INSERT SOME PERSONAL STATEMENT HERE IF YOU WANT EG: CROSS COUNTRY Mountain biking is a legitimate sport, contested at elite level in both the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. Future trail access is imperative for the survival and growth of the sport.

OR: Over the years we have lost access in my area to White’s Hill and Toohey Forest Trails. Currently I have to drive to suitable areas to ride in the bush, I would hate to see the day I have to drive out of the city of Brisbane to rider my bike.

Yours faithfully



INSERT YOUR NAME HERE

[kranked]

this is my bro's thread, everyone must write a letter so we can end all this drama

personalised emails would be awesome so we can really hit em.

we can all make mt cootha so much better to ride, free, maintained and legal

COME ON GUYS, power to the people

[Emmett]

i just sent this to all the email adresses above (excluding Gillian)
After much time and effort lobbying for trail access and more importantly trail maintenance for the sport of Mountain biking in the Mt-Cootha region, I can say I am no less than appalled at the delegatory stance the Government has taken on the issue. The ability of the BCC to install boom gates, toilet blocks and perform other maintenance activities at the venue astonishes me to no end when comparisons are made to the simple request of a supervisor from the BCC to be present whilst maintenance is coordinated and performed voluntarily. Adherence to strict environmental guidelines is achievable in the area and has been outlined to no avail. The inability of the government to achieve results in reference to this issue can be deemed no less than environmentally irresponsible and acting with contempt towards all users of the area.

[DOM]

yeah Send invidual ones i reckon.

[toodles]

not trying to be a tool but if you're going to copy and forward the original letter, please correct the typos/spelling. It'll make us seem a bit more organised...

[Mr Van]

yeh sorry man hahahh i was in a bit of a rush when i rote it on farkin.

[dread pirate]

i just sent this to all the email adresses above (excluding Gillian)


Gillian's email had been included so she can track the number of replies. There is also a copy of Gillian's submission to the BCC on trail access on MTBDirt

[Emmett]

no probs Dread Pirate, i shall send it to her then.

[MTB_SYCO]

ive sent mine off
and remember the more people that send off the better chance we have

[Mr Van]

sweet guys i think we can change their minds

[Emerin]

Okies... i sent a letter. A personalised one. I hope this works!!

[Sparkman]

Here's a copy of the letter that I just sent to the council.

17 March 2004.

Brisbane City Council

Attn:
Tim Quinn
Helen Abrahams
Geraldine Knapp
BioDIVERSITY Advisory Committee
Environment and Parks Manager

RE: Down-hill mountain bike riding on Mt Coot-tha

Dear Sir or Madam

I would like to draw your attention to the sport of down-hill mountain bike riding and the use of certain trails contained within the perimeter of the Mt Coot-tha ring road for this activity. This style of mountain bike riding usually involves the transport of both riders and bicycles to the top of a mountain prior to riding down. So-called downhill riders seek rough and demanding trails that they can ride down at a significant speed. Suitable trails are those that are both demanding AND have easy access to a road at the top and bottom of the trail. Consequently only certain trails are suitable for this activity. For example, the Mt Coot-tha and Gap Creek bushland areas contain a wide variety of interconnecting trails. However, there are only three trails leading down from the top of Mt Coot-tha that are regularly used by downhill riders.

As you know, Australians excel in many sports and downhill mountain-biking is no exception. The current World Cup champion and junior World champion are Australians. Most of the top professional riders are Australian (we dominate the sport). At least one of the top professional riders (Chris Kovaric) honed his skills riding the trails of Mt Coot-tha. This highlights the value that this area has for local downhill riders.

Downhill mountain-bike riding has recently been the focus of some detrimental attention, with respect to the potential for environmental damage and the dangers posed to other trail users (Courier Mail, 10 March). I believe that these issues could be adequately resolved, and a fair compromise reached, if a suitable management plan that accommodates downhill riding were to be implemented. Most of the riders who use these trails are responsible people who are all too eager to help maintain the trails in order to prevent erosion and keep the trails in a suitable riding condition. There are also existing downhill trails that have very little impact on other trails users.

I feel the council should consider these points carefully. The fact that downhill riders are more than willing to help maintain a few viable trails is extraordinary. Most other trail users (walkers and horse riders) would not be so generous with their time. However, the mountain-biking community generally consists of friendly like-minded individuals who love to ride their bikes in beautiful bushland environments, whilst keeping fit at the same time. Furthermore, the sport of downhill mountain-biking has been steadily growing over the last 10 to 15 years, due in part to increased media exposure and greater affordability of the bikes. Therefore, I urge you to carefully consider the inclusion of a management strategy for the sport of downhill mountain-biking in any Mt Coot-tha management plan. Such an inclusion would be an acknowledgment of Australia’s contribution to the sport and should facilitate a greater understanding of downhill mountain-biking and foster a peaceful co-existence with other users of the area.

Yours faithfully

[toodles]

Mate, that letter is brilliant. A copy of that to the reporter from the Courier Mail might also be an idea... Good work Sparkman

[MTB_SYCO]

isnt it funny that my letter keeps getting delayed from been accepted mmmmmmmm i think he might be getting the point

[Emerin]

good! at least this is working!

[Sparkman]

Here's Councilor Geraldine Knapps reply to my letter:

"Thank you for the copy of your letter re The Gap Creek Trails Alliance Submission.

I understand your frustration and hope that a reasonable solution can be found which protects Mt Coot-tha but provides for recreational use.

Yours sincerely,





Geraldine Knapp
Councillor for The Gap Ward"

I get the impression that she didn't read it and that she's being bombarded with emails... At least she knows we exist.

[Emerin]

Well i suggest that anyone who HASN'T sent an email, does, and if it's regected, send a letter. Don't let them recover from the fire i say. Lets face it, Mt Coot-tha is, i think, one of the best places to ride in brissy. Lets not back down now!

[Misplaced]

I sent one last week using Gillian's template and I go a letter from Tim'da man' Quinn (Lord mayor) yesterday.

and guess what, it was signed by him......... properly!

Basically it said thanks for your letter and hopefully we will.....blah,blah,blah

[MTB_SYCO]

mad well my letter got through to him cause but i havnt had a reply

[Emmett]

This is the reply i recieved


17 March 2004




Mr Emmett HXXX
emmett_h@hotmail.com



Dear Mr HXXX


Thank you for your e-mail of 16 March 2004 regarding your concerns with the maintenance of the Mount Coot-tha bicycle track.

I have noted your comments and a full response will be provided at the earliest opportunity.

Thank you again for contacting me.


Yours sincerely




Tim Quinn
LORD MAYOR


Ref: 225422

[dlwd3w]

ATTENTION!!!
Please Please Please! hand write your letters and MAIL them to your local member and the relevant public servant adressing this issue, handwritten letters are the only effective means of getting a voice! 10 hand written letters have the effect of a petition of hundreds!

If anyone wants to get together and punch off a few letters send me a PM, I've been in tiffs with the council a few times over medicore matters and worked as a public serveant myself, phone calls and emails are nothing compared to anyone that appears to be more intellectual them themselves.

Make sure you keep all copies of letters and state your reference number in all letters sent, demand a swift reply and always write in a firm yet polite manner.

Just a thought...

[dlwd3w]

best to get in before the elections, its the only time you'll get a swift reply and a possible resolution to our problem lol

[MTB_SYCO]

yeah that looks like the right way to do it because all they are doing is coping and pasting the same letter back to everyone and we dont seem to be getting closer hand writen letters it is then

[southy]

i emailed a letter, i changed it slightly. yer i agree that if 100's of us do it they might change their minds.

[Ryan]

The last post in this thread was 3 fucking years ago.