The construction of Naseby’s Summer Luge is underway, with teams of locals volunteering to get the project up to speed. 

Naseby Summer Luge trustee Geoff Balme said it has taken some time for those involved to get the $130,000 project to where it is today. 

Appvertisement

“We’ve had to find around $80,000 of cash, which with volunteer input and donated goods and services will see the track reconstructed. 

“It took time to get there and we often felt that our project was too small to get attention and that Naseby wasn’t really on the tourism route. 

“But we’ve got there and last weekend was massive as we started to get seriously underway with construction.

“While we’ve been undertaking some minor earthworks over the last year or so COVID-19 put paid to starting any earlier this year. 

“While work will continue regularly now it will get a monthly boost when we hold further working bees, with NZ Luge members and locals, on 3 & 4 October and 14 & 15 November. 

“Further working bees will follow and we hope that towards the end of summer we can test and commission it and then with a soft start begin to operate it. 

While the team likes to think they will officially open it before the end of summer, realistically it might not be until the beginning of the 2021/22 summer before they will be able to open.

The Naseby Summer Luge is estimated to cost about $130,000 and aims to be open by summer 2021/22 - inlarge part thanks to the local volunteers!

The Naseby Summer Luge Trust, a charitable trust, was established by Naseby Vision in 2015 to facilitate the reconstruction of the former Coronet Peak Cresta Run (alpine slide) adjacent to the Ice Luge track in Naseby. 

Trustees Erna and Tonnie Spijkerbosch, along with David and Jenny Proctor, acquired the former Coronet Peak Cresta Run and have gifted it to the people of Naseby on the proviso that it will be installed and operated in Naseby for the benefit of the Naseby community. 

The German-supplied Wiegand alpine slide was installed for Mount Cook Line at Coronet Peak in the early 1980s for a total cost of around $250,000 ($750,000 in 2016 dollars) and was removed in the mid-1990s to allow for further development of the ski area. 

A summer luge (cresta run or alpine slide) is a chute on the side of a hill, often built by ski resorts to supplement summer income. 

A wheeled cart is used to navigate the slide. The cart is controlled by a hand brake located between the rider's legs. The rider has complete control over his or her speed.

Volunteers have been integral to the Naseby Summer Luge, with donations of time, work, money and equipment making it possible. 

“Economically the value of the tourism sector to Central Otago is significant and is seen by the Central Otago District Council as a priority growth opportunity,” a report from the Naseby Summer Luge Trust said. 

“Recreation (e.g. curling, skating, luge and mountain biking) is popular with visitors to Naseby, which has traditionally been a holiday spot for domestic visitors and especially those from Otago and Southland, it is now experiencing an increased number of visitors passing through. 

“A challenge is how to extend and/or mitigate the seasonality of many tourist activities. 

“The Summer Luge is an opportunity to both grow tourism in Naseby and mitigate the seasonality of the Ice Rink and Ice Luge.

The Trust has raised the $80,000 of cash required to undertake the reconstruction with grants and donations from: Otago Community Trust $30,000, Give-a-Little crowdfunding $22,400, Alexander McMillan Trust $10,000, Lottery Otago/Southland $6,000, Lions Club of Maniototo $5,000, Naseby Vision $2,500, Foodstuffs (South Island) Community Trust $2,500, Community Trust of Maniototo $1,500 and Maniototo Trust Fund $1,000. 

It is proposed that the Summer Luge will initially operate from October to April (7 days a week during holidays and weekends only outside of holidays) for 110 operating days each year. 

If the demand exists then potentially the Summer Luge could operate year round. 

Photos supplied

Appvertisement