A small part of the Cromwell Bike Park - which was established and developed by the Cromwell Bike Park Committee and is used by the Cromwell BMX Club - was fenced off by the council last week after the council was notified trees had been felled on the Neplusultra Reserve, where the bike park and BMX track are located.
Cromwell BMX Club committee president Mouse James said the committee believed it had all necessary consents to extend the BMX park and add a jump line.
The council disagreed.
Council parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey said inquires found the tree felling had been authorised by the bike park committee without council permission.
Work on the site was stopped while the matter was investigated and health and safety documentation obtained.
The BMX track, pump track and children’s cycle park sections were open and the closed section had been fenced off.
The council also determined there was an additional bike track being constructed at the same time, Mr Bailey said.
Mr James said the club had raised $200,000 to improve the park, and it should have been completed by Christmas but the contractor machinery was now sitting idle, costing money.
"We understood we had all the consents for the jump park upgrade but it turns out we didn’t. We met last Friday and ... we didn’t have the right consents in place. It was a breakdown in communication," he said.
The club had had previous discussions with council staff and the problem had never been pointed out.
Mr Bailey said the council and the bike park committee, which leased a section of the reserve from the council, were discussing removing the trees and the construction of an additional jump line.
"The trees that have been felled were part of an informal forestry block within the reserve.
"The council has concerns that the remaining trees may be unstable in high winds and we are seeking advice on this.
"Until this has been determined this part of the bike park will remain closed."
The council needed to approve a redevelopment and maintenance plan before the work could go ahead, Mr Bailey said.
Mr James said the bike park and BMX clubs had discussed amalgamating.
The bike park committee did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
