2005 Breakdown of Events

A breakdown of the year's events along with a table of related documents for this year.

January

• Stirling Council and North Lanarkshire Council host a joint workshop at North Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Cumbernauld. The workshop is attended by over 100 delegates representing a broad cross section of recreational interests including but not restricted to: mountain biking, horse riding, walking, fishing, Clanranald Trust for Scotland and husky racers.
• Workshop outputs are very positive and there is broad agreement that a mountain bike centre is something that should be encouraged and that there is "Real interest in developing the CV area"

February

• Four FCS forest districts develop a brief for feasibility study into the potential of mountain bike development at 13+ geographical locations, including Carron Valley across "West Central Scotland".
• A £30,000 funding package is secured from various agencies to commission the study.

March

• The FCS appoint Tourism Resources Company (TRC) to undertake the feasibility study.
• CVDG continue to plan new trail routes gaining knowledge and experience by engaging professionals such as Paul Masson at CycleTherapy
• Rena Tarwinska confirms "Scottish Lowlands FD see the building of mtb trails as an integral part of the rec development of CV"
• CVDG are successful in raising over £85,000 of public funding to build an initial phase of mountain bike trails at Carron Valley.

April

• CVDG members undertake all preliminary design and contract work and a trail design brief is drawn up.
• Trail design finalised and a tender document drafted. CVDG employ tried and tested methods for trail construction because we are "not comfortable with the previous methodology used for producing Bill of Quantity information for FC mtb trail construction projects and don't consider it robust enough for our needs / protection"

May

• The tender document is finalised and CVDG tender the works for Phase 1 on a best value model.

June

• WB Grieve submit the most competitive bid and are appointed main Contractors for the works.
• Paul Masson of CycleTherapy is engaged to project manage the construction of the trails
• Preparatory work by volunteer trail builders commences.

July

• WB Grieve begin trail construction
• CVDG meet TRC along with local authority officials to assist with the feasibility study. TRC are impressed by the group and state "there is definitely longer term potential in this Area".

August

• Cathie Craigie brings Scottish Water, who own land bordering the Carron Valley Reservoir, to the table. Scottish Water ultimately joins the partnership

September

• TRC submit outputs from Feasibility Study and Economic Impact Assessment to FCS.
• CVDG continue talks with FCS to "get the CV lflt going."

October

• A "high powered delegation" of FCS officials involved in the 7Stanes project (Karl Bartlett, Andy Hopkins & Chris Ross) visit Carron Valley out of "professional interest" and write a "critique" of Carron Valley trails
• CVDG strongly object to the highly inflammatory nature of the report but agree to resolve any valid issues highlighted by FCS.
• Meanwhile CVDG requests trail grading information to inform the group's position. The request is ignored, despite falling under FOI legislation, and only followed up with a phone call from Alan Stevenson (FCS Head of Communities Recreation and Tourism), recommending that such things are dealt with at a "local level".

November

• CVDG learn of initial findings of TRC report and the West and Central Scotland feasibility study
• Phase 1 is substantially complete.
• CVDG complete all remaining minor works including signage, fencing, etc.
• FCS presents a draft agreement which CVDG sign. "This interim agreement addresses H&S, which is the most important issue to clarify for now."
• FCS grade trails as red with the freeride area "ungraded", stating "we all recognise that FCS has no national agreed grading system as yet"

December

• FCS finally provide CVDG with a copy of TRC report.
• The group float the idea of a launch of the trails in March, giving FCS 3 months notice. "Launch: We propose first week in March therefore the trail map, websites, interpretation, etc need to be in place by that date."