Publication: ph02052012

Normandale residents are about to undertake their annual cleanup of their suburb.

Clean up Normandale takes place on May 14 and is an initiative of the Normandale Residents Association.

Association president Peter Matcham says the clean-up is aimed at tidying up the suburb. 

Meanwhile the association is supporting a proposal to turn the suburb’s dilapidated skateboard ramp into a pump bike track.

The proposal comes from the Belmont Area Mountain Bike Association (BAMBA).

Mr Matcham says the association believes the skate ramp should come down. However it should be replaced with another facility that caters for Normandale’s many teens who have bikes.

However, as the site (Jubilee Park) is owned by Hutt City, council input is essential.

Mr Matcham says his association is working with other western hills residents groups to ensure the council’s parks and gardens budget for development and maintenance is maintained.

“All three organisations see the development of a good walking and cycling structure from the floor of the Hutt valley to the Belmont Regional Park as being very important.”

Meanwhile, Greater Wellington has received resource consent to remove logs from maturing pine trees in Belmont Regional Park.

The operation was set to go ahead last year but was delayed following concerns from BAMBA members, residents and environmental groups that the felling could have adverse environmental effects.

Mr Matcham, who is also chairman of the friends of Belmont Regional Park, says access routes and skid sites will be constructed prior to winter, although logs will be not be removed until next summer.

He says the Friends are also concerned at the proposed Transmission Gully highway, part of which will pass through Belmont Regional Park.