Letter to the Editor | Coloane trails recovery: ‘IACM’s achievement is worthy of high praise’

Dear Editor,

I write on behalf of Macau running, hiking and walking community and particularly Macau TrailHiker Ltd. to thank you and your department for clearing the Coloane trails and getting our Coloane “green lung” reopened quickly after the devastating effects of “Super Typhoon Hato” on August 23 when over 10,000 trees in Coloane were destroyed causing the trails to be totally blocked.

Much has been spoken and written about the Macau community not being well prepared for a typhoon of this nature and of course our hearts go out to those community members who lost their lives and those that lost their homes and their personal possessions as a result of Typhoon Hato.

I would prefer to focus on giving praise and positive feedback to IACM for enabling all of the Coloane trails to be reopened in time for the annual Macau TrailHiker community event on November 4.

The Macau TrailHiker event was the first large community sports event to take place post Typhoon Hato as many of the Macau community events planned had to be cancelled or postponed. Ironically even the Taipa Half Marathon scheduled for October 15 had to be cancelled due to another typhoon hitting Macau!

Those of you reading this letter and who witnessed the destruction of the Coloane trails after the events on August 23 will realize that IACM’s achievement is worthy of high praise and an award. Of particular note was the speedy reconstruction of the safety rails, many of which were completely destroyed, along the 600m rock path at the exposed cliff base west of Hac Sa on the 30K TrailHiker course.

I would also like to give thanks to the local Macau running groups and a number of corporate organizations who came out immediately after the typhoon to help start clearing popular running paths including the Coloane trails in those early weeks after typhoon Hato.

Great job IACM!

Upwards & Onwards

Robert Kirby

Co-founder

Macau TrailHiker

December 12th 2017