Following moves at Dorset Council to de-prioritise the North East Rail Trail extension, the council has now locked it in as part of a “City to the Sea” trails vision.
The council met on Monday 20 April to discuss the vision following a workshop on 8 April about the prioritisation of the North East Rail Trail stage 3 extension in its major projects plan.
Councillor McLennan withdrew her motion to de-prioritise the NE Rail Trail Stage 3 project at the start of the meeting.
General Manager John Marik provided a report and spoke at the meeting about the importance of the rail trail as part of an overall network of trails that would connect Launceston to Dorset and Break O’Day council areas.
The City to the Sea trails vision acknowledges the potential for cycling tourism to continue to contribute to the region’s economy utilising existing trails and gravel roads and proposed projects like stage 3 of the Rail Trail.
The council report outlined the benefits of trail networks in other states, citing the Northern Rivers and Murray to the Mountains networks, as well as overseas examples such as New Zealand’s Great Rides and Trans Canada trail.
Mr Marik floated the possibility of Northern Tasmania Development Corporation taking on the role of master-planning the vision across the councils.
There was some debate about the City to Sea name, with various other options put forward, and Mr Marik confirmed that was a placeholder name and that was something that could be decided later.
The council agreed to the Mr Marik working with Launceston and Break O’Day councils and relevant state organisations and stakeholders to pursue the vision.
The council also voted to add the renovation of the Scottsdale Railway Station to its list of major projects as it would be part of the City to Sea vision.
Watch the debate on You Tube from 30:50 at www.youtube.com/watch?v=MenQnsAlCYA
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