SHANE Rattenbury has announced the commencement of trail construction at the Majura Pines recreation area.

“I am very excited to announce that construction of mountain bike trails in the recreation area at Majura Pines will commence on Monday 19 January 2015,” Shane said.

“$270,000 has been allocated for works at Majura Pines which includes the design and construction of mountain bike trails including several downhill mountain bike trails, a drinking water point, signage, informal rest areas and cavalettis for horse riders.

“In mid 2014 the ACT Government received a significant amount of support for the project during the community consultation of the concept plan, with over 680 people contributing feedback.

“The public was very keen to see Majura Pines returned to being the highly valued recreation space it once was.

“Work commenced in late 2014 fixing up broken fencing and gates. The new round of work will see reinstatement of parts of the original trail network, new trails and realignment of some existing trails. Signage and informal rest areas will also be installed, improving user experience and safety.

“Further work and ongoing maintenance of the trails will be undertaken by members of the newly formed Majura Pines Trail Alliance who will work with ACT Parks and Conservation Service.

“The improvements to this popular recreation area are one of many projects and activities the ACT Government is doing as part of the Healthy Weight Initiative to encourage people to get outside and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“Two thirds of Canberrans are overweight and one in four is obese. Exploring some of the amazing outdoor recreation areas and activities the ACT has to offer is a great way to get active and enjoy the outdoors,” Minister Rattenbury concluded.

Construction is expected to last 10 weeks and general public access to the Majura Pines will be restricted during this time. Areas within the forestry compartments will be closed for the duration of the work. These areas will be signposted and temporary fencing will be installed to prevent access during construction and a map outlining works will be available on the TAMS website.

For further information including the design of the trail, please visit www.tams.act.gov.au or call 13 22 81.