Tauranga BMX Club is racing to secure the final funding needed to repair its damaged track and safeguard the future of BMX competition in the city.
The club needs to raise more than $32,000 to complete urgent remediation work on its Cambridge Rd facility.
Seventeen riders aged 10 to 30 have been preparing for next month’s World Championships in Brisbane, training on a limited scale and travelling to tracks in Cambridge and Rotorua due to the damage.
Cracking and ground movement at the track have prevented competition racing for more than a year.
Club committee member Kim Crawford said the issues became more noticeable after major construction activity began in the surrounding area.
She believes the problems may be linked to the track being built on a former landfill site.
“We’ve started to have issues with cracking on our track and movement in the corners.”
Cracking and ground movement at Tauranga BMX Club’s Cambridge Rd track have halted competitive racing for more than a year. Photo / Zoe Blake
About 36 months ago, the club raised concerns with Tauranga City Council.
Subsequently, at a meeting with the council late last year, the worsening track issues led to its effective closure for public use and racing.
Crawford said BMX New Zealand and council officials agreed racing could not resume until the remediation work was complete.
“We’re only allowed four people on the track at any one time, and we need eight riders to run a race.
“No racing can happen until the remediation is complete.”
Last year, Tauranga BMX was forced to relocate a National Qualifying Meeting to Rotorua after the track was deemed unsuitable for competition.
Crawford said the disruption had taken a toll on the club, with membership numbers declining.
Sections of the track show visible cracking. Photo / Zoe Blake
Tauranga BMX is due to host the BMX competition at the 2026 Zespri Aims Games in September, one of the club’s biggest fundraising opportunities and an event that attracts thousands of intermediate-aged competitors.
Club president Amanda Withington said funding secured so far would ensure the track was ready for the Aims Games, but further work was needed to secure the venue’s long-term future.
The club has won the rights to host the 2028 BMX New Zealand National Championships and wants the track restored to a standard befitting the event.
“We will have nearly 800 riders coming for nationals in 2028, and we need the track to not only be operational but in the best possible state, so we showcase the sport to the city and vice versa.”
Withington said the club was grateful to funders who had already stepped in, but desperately needed community support to ensure future generations of local riders had the same opportunities.
Movement in the track’s corners has created safety concerns, limiting rider numbers and preventing race meetings being held. Photo / Zoe Blake
Tauranga City Council has contributed $30,000 to the project, while TECT has approved funding of $96,017.
However, the club still faces a shortfall of about $32,017.12 to complete the remediation work and ensure the track can safely host training and future competitions.
The club has launched a Givealittle campaign, which has so far raised $276 towards the target.
It is also seeking support from local businesses through a trackside sponsorship programme, with advertising opportunities along the fenceline starting from $150, depending on sign and sponsorship size.
Tauranga City Council acting head of spaces and places Ross Hudson said the council had been working closely with the club to explore remedial options.
While the exact cause of the damage could not be confirmed, he said it was most likely due to differential subsidence of landfill material or underground water movement.
“Council and the BMX club are confident that the works can be completed in time for Aims [Games], provided the additional funding is found.”
Hudson said the track was a valuable community asset with a proud history of hosting events and developing top riders.
The Cambridge Rd track is considered a key community asset with a long history of developing top riders. Photo / Zoe Blake
A BMX New Zealand spokeswoman said the organisation had not independently closed the track but agreed racing should not proceed until the issues had been addressed.
Training had continued under club management but race meetings created additional safety concerns, she said.
“Unlike training sessions, race meetings involve multiple riders competing closely together through corners and other track features. In that environment, riders have less ability to choose alternative lines should ground movement or surface irregularities occur.”
She said Tauranga BMX remained an important venue within the national network and its selection to host the 2028 BMX New Zealand National Championships reflected that significance.
“We acknowledge the significance of the venue to the local BMX community and wider sport and look forward to seeing the track restored to a condition that allows the safe return of competitive racing.”
Zoe Blake is a multimedia journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post.