Whakatāne now has 23 more reasons to ditch the car and cycle instead.

As part of its Active Whakatāne Strategy, Whakatāne District Council has installed 23 bike racks around the township and Ōhope, with the aim of making commuting to work, play, and social activities easier than ever.

Council Team Leader Strategy and Asset Management Ann-Elise Reynolds said Council worked with Bike Whakatāne Trust to ensure the new bike racks were in helpful and suitable locations for cyclists.

“We want people to feel empowered to cycle around our district, to do this, we need to have the right infrastructure in the right places,” she said.

“We hope these new bike racks will encourage people to cycle around Whakatāne and Ōhope and stop to do things like have lunch with their friends, do a spot of shopping or go and watch a movie.”

Carolyn Hamill of Bike Whakatāne Trust said it has been great to work collaboratively with council on this project.

“We established where existing bike racks were located, both on private and public property and then worked with our cycling community to decide where the new ones would be best placed – ensuring they were in safe highly visible locations.

“We hope the community enjoy them!”

The new bike racks can be found at Maraetōtara Reserve, Villis Glade, West End, Cutler Crescent, The Comm, Wairaka Centennial Park (Heads Playground) and the Whakatāne Skate Park.

There are also plans to install e-bike charging stations on The Strand within the next 12 months.

Council’s Active Whakatāne Strategy aims to make active modes of travel, like walking, cycling and scootering, safer and easier through education and purpose-built infrastructure.

Bike Whakatāne Trust members Carolyn Hamill and Richard Hamer and Whakatāne District Council Engineering Cadet Jordan Andrew with some of the new bike racks by the Whakatāne Skate Park.