Cycleway golf link completed in time for summer

After 10 years and four projects, the final Nelson section of the Great Taste Trail has been completed in Nelson.

Tasman’s Great Taste Trail is a 200km loop around the Nelson-Tasman region.

A 2.2m-wide cycle track has been constructed from Bolt Road along the perimeter of Nelson Golf Course with a 6m bridge over the Maire Stream, finishing at Awatea Place.  

The project was initially set for completion in 2022, but complications with the Awatea Place Pump Station project pushed out the timeline.  

“The pump station project was incredibly complex with a number of challenges,” says Group Manager Infrastructure Alec Louverdis.  

“This had a knock-on effect for the cycleway project. If we had completed the cycleway according to our original timeline, users would’ve had to travel through the construction site on Awatea Place, so we had to shift the strategy to align with the pump station project.” 

This link closes the gap along the existing Great Taste Trail cycleway in Nelson. It connects users from Nelson Airport, through the Golf Club, alongside the Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park on the boardwalk and out to the beach.

“The Great Taste Trail is a cycle experience like no other in the country," says Nelson Mayor Nick Smith.

“Not only does it showcase the stunning scenery of the region, it also connects with some of Nelson-Tasman’s best eateries, breweries, wineries, and hotspots. We truly are fortunate to have a group of passionate, cycle enthusiasts who have helped us develop this cycle experience. 

“The Great Taste Trail has been a transformative project for the region that I have been involved with since the Key Government initiative in 2009 of supporting a network of cycleways.

"I was further involved as MP in helping facilitate an agreement between Council, the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust and the Golf Club on access, enabling this last Nelson section to be completed. 

"The community owes particular thanks to Nelson Golf Club for enabling this off-road and attractive additional section.”  

Discussions began in 2019 to extend the Great Taste Trail through Tāhunanui, creating an alternative, safe and scenic link from Nelson Airport to the beach. The Golf Course link is the fourth project that Nelson City Council and the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust have collaborated on.