Wet weather at Te Ko Utu Lake has soften the ground and led to track damage.
Some of the walking tracks running up and down the banks of Lake Te Ko Utu have recently been upgraded in time for summer.
Near record rain downpours in the area had softened the ground and damaged some of the tracks to the point of closure – in some cases for several months. Locals had expressed concerns as to whether there would be an opening date in sight.
Waipa District Council Community Facilities Manager Bruce Airey
“The wet winter has caused the damage and we understand trying to fix the issue within an unusually wet winter wasn’t wise or cost effective, but we would expect Council to have these in a safe sate of repair over the coming weeks as families will increasingly be using them,” said Cambridge Community Board Chairman Mike Pettit.
Waipa District Council this week confirmed that some of the tracks had since been repaired and more works were on the way.
“The Camellia track near the carpark was repaired last week,” confirmed Bruce Airey, Manager Community Facilities. “There is still some minor work to be done but it is now open to the public.”
The track was closed for three months due to scouring, following a heavy rain event, and needed to dry out before works could start. “It required significant repairs by specialist contractors, which contributed to delays in reopening the track,” said Airey.
“The George Clarke track suffered damage more recently but is still open. This track also requires repairs including machine work which will be undertaken in the next couple of weeks.
“We intend to have both of these tracks in good working order as soon as possible so the community can enjoy the lake during the summer.”
