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Rotorua Cycle Action is an action/advocacy group committed to increasing the number of people who choose cycling for commuting and recreation.  Our group focuses primarily on cycling for transportation, however we recognize that many mountain bikers also commute to Whakarewarewa and other destinations by bicycle. Readily accessible and well developed facilities for mountain biking, such as the facilities in Rotorua, have the synergistic effect of promoting cycling in general, and do much to stimulate people to get on their bikes and ride.  With this in mind we strongly support Council’s proposal through the LTCCP to play a role in retaining the continued recreational use of the Whakarewarewa Forest. 

In addition to supporting our group’s goal of encouraging cycling in general, we believe there are a multitude of benefits to retaining the Whakarewarewa Forest as a key recreational facility for Rotorua residents and its visitors.  Some of these benefits, such as increased health and well being, are vitally important but difficult to measure.  Other benefits are measurable and have immediate consequences to Rotorua.  At the top of these tangible benefits is the economic gain to the Rotorua economy as evidenced in a 2007 report prepared by APR Consultants.  This report showed that mountain biking visitor expenditure increased from $1.94 million in 2005 to around $2.56 million in 2007 and that the overall economic impacts related to recreational activity in the Whakarewarewa forest are conservatively estimated at $10 million per annum.

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