It's time had come due to the condition of the posts and supports. The decking boards were in good shape since these had been treated, but the posts and supports were untreated timber from the surrounding forest and as a result were always going to start rotting quicker. Ewok Village succumbed to a similar fate recently, but more on this in a future post.
Still, the feature had been standing strong since 2003 just after the Skills Area opened, so it had lasted pretty well. All that it had needed maintenance wise was the occasional worn bit of netting patching up and a few decking boards and supports replacing.
On a more positive note, we will be replacing the feature with something similar, but alas not immediately. We're planning to do some upgrade work in the Skills Area in late 2009 or 2010, so we're going to hang fire just now, as we'd like to tweak where certain features sit around the area and the overall layout - part of improving how the Skills Area works for you the visitors. One area we're really keen to improve on is how the area works for larger groups of riders - school groups, the Kids Club etc.
We're currently fine tuning our plans for the upgrade work but would love to hear your thoughts on the Skills Area, especially:
1. What features and sections you like/work well?
2. What features and sections you don't like/don't work well?
3. What features/sections/types of trail you'd like to see developed in the Skills Area?
4. Any other thoughts or things you'd like to get off your chests?
The more thoughts and ideas we receive the better, as although we've built up a good deal of collective knowledge on the subject, there's always more to learn, new ideas and points of view to take in. Also we'd love to hear from everyone - first timers, skills coaches, school leaders, parents, youngsters, regular users, irregular users, young, old, in between.
So please do get in touch, either here or by contacting me at andy.wardman@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or 07900 138901 or drop by the Ranger's Office at Glentress and say hello.
cheers,
andy
Posts
4 comments:
Good luck with the blog Andy - I think it's a great feature, and I hope loads of folk make use of it to tell the forestry what they think.
;-)
I like the obvious progression available with the timer trails in the centre of the skills loop: Wide and low -> Wide and higher -> Narrow and low -> Narrow, higher and with a nasty corner. It would perhaps be nice if there were some progressive options for other trail features too, for example currently there's a rocky step down thing and a rocky step up, but only one of each.
It would be nice to see a return to the skills loop of a relatively tame see-saw. I never had the guts to try the narrower and longer one at the Ewok Village but while it was there I was able to manage the one that used to be in the skills loop!
I've never really understood the purpose of the wee mogul field on what is a part of the outer skills loop that is typically used as a climb. The small step downs shortly before it always seemed either a bit too close or too far apart, depending on what they were intended for.
I've never been involved in a large group riding at the skills loop so I can't comment on that aspect of it!
Thanks very much for the comments and suggestions Chris.
Very much agree on the progression aspect - it will be central to the changes we make.
Good luck with the re build, it sounds like a nice place to ride.
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