Date: 15-Oct-2008
Jon Stanhope's Response to ACTEA Equestrian Issues Paper
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Ms Christine Lawrence
President
ACT Equestrian Association
cflawrence@homemail.com.au
Dear Ms Lawrence
Thank you for giving ACT Labor the opportunity to respond to the ACT Equestrian Association’s 2008 election questionnaire. You raise some important issues and I am pleased to provide this response on behalf of all ACT Labor candidates.
1. Continued government support for improvement of these facilities is needed through both direct support and the Sport and Recreation Grants Program.
The ACT Government is responsible for the management of Hall Showground and Equestrian Park, with day-to-day management responsibility at Equestrian Park being carried out by the ACT Equestrian Association, under a licence agreement with Sport and Recreation Services Branch, TAMS.
A master plan for Equestrian Park prepared in 2005 forms the basis for improvements to be undertaken at the facility. The first opportunity for significant improvement has been through the grant of $322,000 in 2008. This will support the construction of two all weather arenas that will significantly improve the capacity of the facility to accommodate higher quality dressage and training activities. A re-elected ACT Labor Government will continue to work with local groups to improve equestrian facilities at Equestrian Park and Hall Show Ground and will to work with Exhibition Park management to explore options to improve facilities for equestrian groups there.
Alongside this work the ACT Government employs a contractor to manage its horse paddocks and major asset renewal projects will continue as a part of the Government's capital works program.
2. We seek your support for the BNT to be integrated into any planning processes which might impact upon it, to remain open at all times and, it will be designed to be safe for horse riders, cyclists and walkers.
Integration of the existing horse trails network is considered in planning processes and re-routing, either permanent or temporary, is undertaken where necessary in consultation with equestrian groups (for example the Bicentennial National Trail has recently been rerouted around the Casey and West Macgregor developments).
Where there is a need for temporary access interruptions, for example to upgrade utilities, or undergo major maintenance of infrastructure such as cavaletti or fence repairs, signage and temporary fencing is utilised. Where interruptions are likely to be longer term, equestrian users groups and/or local equestrian interests are engaged to find mutually agreeable outcomes. A recent example of this is the Narrabundah Hill access agreements.
A re-elected ACT Labor Government will consult with equestrian groups in planning work that might impact equestrian trails and will seek integrated outcomes where possible.
3. Equestrians require government support for maintenance of the community open space system to
Link equestrian trails, safely, to existing equestrian facilities including the Bicentennial National Trail, Pegasus Riding for the Disabled, the public Equestrian Park in Yarralumla and other competition areas, pony club grounds, the International Arboretum, Stromlo Forest Park, government horse paddocks and private agistment centres.
ACT equestrian trails connecting Government-owned horse holding paddocks currently join the Bicentennial Trail in two locations – 1.3km north west of the Canberra Lakes Pony Club and 5.7km north west of the Canberra show ground. I understand the Bicentennial National Trail currently passes right along side Pegasus riding school for the disabled therefore linking this complex to a great majority of Horse facilities within the ACT.
An ACT horse trail currently extends through the public Equestrian Park in Yarralumla and extends south throughout Canberra nature park. This trail also links to the Bicentennial National Trail to the south of Scrivener Dam. The Bicentennial National Trail currently extends through the international arboretum in Stromlo Forest Park and runs along Uriarra road and through the Stromlo Forest Park recreation area.
All Government-owned horse holding paddocks and pony club grounds except Oaks Estate complex and the Tuggeranong pony club (now closed down) have access to the Bicentennial National Trail or ACT Equestrian trails. The majority of private agistment complexes either have access or are in close proximity to equestrian trails. There are currently no plans to extend equestrian trails to private agistment areas as these complexes are located on leased land.
The Bicentennial National Trail is mostly engineered to take advantage of wide, safe easements. However there are major road crossings which do not have under/overpasses such as the Barton Highway. Equestrian trails and crossings are taken into account in planning for new roadways and major improvements where existing trails exist.
4. Retention of government paddock space, and replacement where it becomes essential to convert paddock space to another use is essential.
The ACT Government currently manages a system of sixteen Government-owned horse holding paddocks at various locations throughout Canberra close to the edge of the urban area. These paddocks accommodate approximately 14% of horses kept for recreational purposes in the ACT. A re-elected ACT Labor Government will consider replacement of paddock space when it is converted to other uses, bearing in mind that there is already considerable pressure on existing unleased land and that agistment on rural leases managed for this purpose may at times be the best option. A number of businesses that provide quality horse agistment facilities on rural leases close to the urban edge have been developed in recent years.
I trust this information is of interest to you and your members. Thank you again for the opportunity to respond to these issues.
Yours sincerely
Jon Stanhope MLA
Chief Minister
President
ACT Equestrian Association
cflawrence@homemail.com.au
Dear Ms Lawrence
Thank you for giving ACT Labor the opportunity to respond to the ACT Equestrian Association’s 2008 election questionnaire. You raise some important issues and I am pleased to provide this response on behalf of all ACT Labor candidates.
1. Continued government support for improvement of these facilities is needed through both direct support and the Sport and Recreation Grants Program.
The ACT Government is responsible for the management of Hall Showground and Equestrian Park, with day-to-day management responsibility at Equestrian Park being carried out by the ACT Equestrian Association, under a licence agreement with Sport and Recreation Services Branch, TAMS.
A master plan for Equestrian Park prepared in 2005 forms the basis for improvements to be undertaken at the facility. The first opportunity for significant improvement has been through the grant of $322,000 in 2008. This will support the construction of two all weather arenas that will significantly improve the capacity of the facility to accommodate higher quality dressage and training activities. A re-elected ACT Labor Government will continue to work with local groups to improve equestrian facilities at Equestrian Park and Hall Show Ground and will to work with Exhibition Park management to explore options to improve facilities for equestrian groups there.
Alongside this work the ACT Government employs a contractor to manage its horse paddocks and major asset renewal projects will continue as a part of the Government's capital works program.
2. We seek your support for the BNT to be integrated into any planning processes which might impact upon it, to remain open at all times and, it will be designed to be safe for horse riders, cyclists and walkers.
Integration of the existing horse trails network is considered in planning processes and re-routing, either permanent or temporary, is undertaken where necessary in consultation with equestrian groups (for example the Bicentennial National Trail has recently been rerouted around the Casey and West Macgregor developments).
Where there is a need for temporary access interruptions, for example to upgrade utilities, or undergo major maintenance of infrastructure such as cavaletti or fence repairs, signage and temporary fencing is utilised. Where interruptions are likely to be longer term, equestrian users groups and/or local equestrian interests are engaged to find mutually agreeable outcomes. A recent example of this is the Narrabundah Hill access agreements.
A re-elected ACT Labor Government will consult with equestrian groups in planning work that might impact equestrian trails and will seek integrated outcomes where possible.
3. Equestrians require government support for maintenance of the community open space system to
Link equestrian trails, safely, to existing equestrian facilities including the Bicentennial National Trail, Pegasus Riding for the Disabled, the public Equestrian Park in Yarralumla and other competition areas, pony club grounds, the International Arboretum, Stromlo Forest Park, government horse paddocks and private agistment centres.
ACT equestrian trails connecting Government-owned horse holding paddocks currently join the Bicentennial Trail in two locations – 1.3km north west of the Canberra Lakes Pony Club and 5.7km north west of the Canberra show ground. I understand the Bicentennial National Trail currently passes right along side Pegasus riding school for the disabled therefore linking this complex to a great majority of Horse facilities within the ACT.
An ACT horse trail currently extends through the public Equestrian Park in Yarralumla and extends south throughout Canberra nature park. This trail also links to the Bicentennial National Trail to the south of Scrivener Dam. The Bicentennial National Trail currently extends through the international arboretum in Stromlo Forest Park and runs along Uriarra road and through the Stromlo Forest Park recreation area.
All Government-owned horse holding paddocks and pony club grounds except Oaks Estate complex and the Tuggeranong pony club (now closed down) have access to the Bicentennial National Trail or ACT Equestrian trails. The majority of private agistment complexes either have access or are in close proximity to equestrian trails. There are currently no plans to extend equestrian trails to private agistment areas as these complexes are located on leased land.
The Bicentennial National Trail is mostly engineered to take advantage of wide, safe easements. However there are major road crossings which do not have under/overpasses such as the Barton Highway. Equestrian trails and crossings are taken into account in planning for new roadways and major improvements where existing trails exist.
4. Retention of government paddock space, and replacement where it becomes essential to convert paddock space to another use is essential.
The ACT Government currently manages a system of sixteen Government-owned horse holding paddocks at various locations throughout Canberra close to the edge of the urban area. These paddocks accommodate approximately 14% of horses kept for recreational purposes in the ACT. A re-elected ACT Labor Government will consider replacement of paddock space when it is converted to other uses, bearing in mind that there is already considerable pressure on existing unleased land and that agistment on rural leases managed for this purpose may at times be the best option. A number of businesses that provide quality horse agistment facilities on rural leases close to the urban edge have been developed in recent years.
I trust this information is of interest to you and your members. Thank you again for the opportunity to respond to these issues.
Yours sincerely
Jon Stanhope MLA
Chief Minister
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