[Closed] The demise of a vision for a community

All good points and questions...I'm asking those in my head as well as surely it isn't all dead now.

I hate that these conversations keep becoming about the Peel but it's a perfect example of one thing- it doesn't have to make sense.

I think the Peel was [i]supposed[/i] to make sense.
While I accept that once in a while this sort of thing comes off, the moonshot is an exception to the rule. For every successful launch there are far more schemes which never ever got off the ground. Not to mention those that turned into a white elephant...

I'd much prefer they spent the money on something like a (or multiple )trans-scotland mtb route (s).

West Highland Way and Southern Upland Way are definitely MTB-able - not specific to MTBs but more than capable of ticking those boxes.

I don't think you could promote the SUW as being suitable for a trans-scotland bike route. Huge sections of the western part are just way too boggy and not suitable for bikes. The other problem here is that the route isn't well serviced by public transport which reduces your options for where you can start/stop sections.

Regarding the WHW, as a whole it is much better but could do with something done with the northern Loch Lomond section as the hike a bike is just not pleasant. I think the main obstacle on this route is the sheer number of walkers who use it - a way would need be found to manage this.

I'd love both of these routes to become more bike friendly but there would be a great deal of investment needed, particularly on the SUW to make them more appealing.

Keep the discussion going; there is an impending press release I am led to believe that will outline the next workstrands and a public meeting in the near future that your attendance, points and discussion will be much needed and appreciated.

AimUp response to council press release: [url= https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1127473407298100&id=124813904230727 ]here[/url]

Council press release (note no plan, just words such as 'continue', and announcing that more holiday cottages is the answer to our already under-filled local accommodation providers): [url= http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/news/article/1550/tweed_valleys_mountain_biking_opportunities_identified ]here[/url]

I can't look at facebook at work, is your link the same as the "Support the Innerleithen Uplift" facebook page that wrote about it this morning?

I'm hesitant to comment much because emotions seem to be running high and I'm likely to know or meet some of the people involved as I ride down there often, and don't want to get smacked in the chops!

To be honest I think you have to accept there is just no public money spare, maybe ten years ago there would have been, but at the moment there isn't even the money to maintain what trails have already been built, simple as that.

MTBers have also shown that they can build their own top class trails with no input from anyone, OK maybe not the fully constructed DH trails, but look at the number of 'enthusiast' mtbers using the unofficial trails in the tweed valley now compared to marked trails. Apart from the dedicated DH riders, even if some new trails were built, how many people would pay to ride them when there are 40 odd amazing unofficial trails for free?

I do wonder if the tone of things is putting people off too, trying to win over organisations when everyone online is slagging them off isn't going to get things anywhere. Potential investors will be looking for positivity, not PR liability.

I suspect if the proposal was for glentress it might be easier to attract private investment due to the infrastructure already in place there.

Anyway, just some garbled pre-coffee thoughts. Is there any info online about aimup plan and proposal that isn't on facebook?

I've not found a website or anything detailed online about what AIMUp is proposing but have you seen this?

http://www.porthillsleisure.nz/christchurch-adventure-park/

This seems like the way to approach things, instead of going to people and saying "we want to do this on your land and you and other people to give us it/money for it" , saying "we'll lease your land and set up a business that does all these things"

I'm not sure exactly what AIMUp's £5.5 million is proposing to deliver in comparison, but all those things at Christchurch, which is a huge resort development, are coming in at ~£9.6 million with only a fraction of that coming from public funds.

Again is there a website or something with details of the proposed AIMUp development and trails?

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Original plan I saw for Aim-Up was for new Green, Blue and Red trails and renovating the DH trails and the funicular railway uplift.
Also a new Café and Carpark further up the hill so as to get away from the flooding in the present carpark.
This was all on the net I just can't remember where. It really looked good on paper.

Cool ta. All I know is for the funi railway uplift. Must be some proposal document/website for it.

, relative to attracting walkers or others users who require little in the way of infrastructure.

This is the game now. Dog walkers are by far the largest group who access the countryside, don't walk very far and will pay for parking

So you get numbers and income which matters far more than supporting a niche sport with PITA keyboard warriors and who ignore stay off signs when new trails are being built ala Gisburn at the moment

I was at Whinlater for a ride a couple of weeks ago, one trail closed and I'm old and fat and only saw no more than 10 people on bikes on a Sunday late morning. Loads of dog walkers though.

To add another view to that comment though (not that there's anything wrong with it) I went to Whinlatter for the first time Good Friday, and the place was rammed with MTBers. Couldn't move without running one over. Its ok though, I only hit half a dozen or so.

This is the game now. Dog walkers are by far the largest group who access the countryside, don't walk very far and will pay for parking

So you get numbers and income which matters far more than supporting a niche sport with PITA keyboard warriors and who ignore stay off signs when new trails are being built ala Gisburn at the moment

Hmm, dog walkers seem like a good idea, but they don't tend to travel far from home, the ones you see are mainly fairly local, and while they may buy a cup of tea and cake, they are not staying in local hotels and eating at local pubs.

The economic case for MTB trail centres was built on this, as a way to bring money into rural economies, you simply aren't going to get that from dog walkers.

I was at Whinlater for a ride a couple of weeks ago, one trail closed and I'm old and fat and only saw no more than 10 people on bikes on a Sunday late morning. Loads of dog walkers though.

why anyone would go to whinlatter is baffling.

Because it's raining?

I happened to discuss it with somebody who was involved with the start-up funding of a rather large visitor attraction elsewhere, and he said it would be a perfectly valid figure for investment purposes. Certainly high enough for him to be very interested in finding out out more about AIMup, but given nobody ever contacted him, he assumed those running the project weren't that serious about it...

Well maybe you could have mentioned his interest to somebody. No wonder these things don't happen, it's not because it's some dream that can't happen it's because people are tools with their own agendas and would rather sit on useful information and wait for somebody to come and beg them to help. 🙄

Tom. Thanks for trying! These things take a huge amount of energy and time. I really feel for you as it hasn't worked out - but unfortunately some people can't see what this could do. Even more unfortunately - they have a lot of influence.

J