TEMPLE BASIN ROAD

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27987, 6 June 1956, Page 11

TEMPLE BASIN ROAD

MR COBERGER REPLIES TO CRITICS The statement by Mr G. G'. Lockwood to the Christchurch Ski Club’s annual meeting that the road he (Mr Coberger) had proposed to Temple Basin would cost £30,000 was misleading, said Mr Oscar Coberger, of Arthur’s Pass, in a statement to “The Press.” “The Ministry of Works engineer at Greymouth reported that the Twin Creek spur route was the best and that a motor road was feasible at no great cost,” Mr-Coberger said. “According to a reliable contractor the total cost of a 12ft road with a grade of /one in six to the Bluffs and one in five above that would cost between £7OOO and £BOOO. This is only a fraction of the costs of roads to the ski-ing grounds at Egmont, Tongariro, and Mount Cook. The figure of £30,000 has never been considered by anybody and has come completely out of the air.” Arthur’s Pass was the national park nearest large centres of population, the town had the best road and rail access and could accpmmodate up to 600 people, Mr Coberger said. It badly needed a road. to its ski-ing grounds, as other parks had. The~utility vehicle track proposed would be of no use to the public, but if the Park Board could obtain only £3OOO at present, it was the wisest scheme to proceed with, provided the surveyed line was used But at present £12,000 was being spent to widen the Stratford plateau road in Egmont Park and £lO.OOO on roads in Tongariro Park. “Why do the people of Canterbury and Westland have to scratch around with £3000?” Mr Coberger asked In other parks ski roads were kept cleared of snow at public expense. For a cost of £250 in a normal winter season, why could this not be done at Temple Basin? “From letters in ‘The Press’ it is clear that visitors want a bus or truck road and not just a utility vehicle track,” Mr Coberger said.