One of the silver linings to lockdown is the number of people who have been taking to the Territory’s nature parks and reserves to get their daily allowance of outdoor activity and exercise. It’s refreshing and inspiring to see.

The tracks on Mt Taylor in Woden have been particularly popular, and my husband and I have been walking up there most days during lockdown for our aerobic exercise while our gym and exercise classes remain off limits. We’re both in our 60s and plan to keep walking outdoors for as long as we can rather than return to indoor exercise sessions because we believe it’s a safer option for us.

So, imagine our dismay when we saw a sign at the start of the summit trail advising the main track from Kambah and the zig-zag trail from Pearce, which is our preferred option for getting our heartrates up, would be shut for maintenance from 6 October to 31 December.

While we understand maintenance is required, surely it’s not so urgent that it needs to start right now while so many lockdown restrictions remain.

We implore the authorities to see reason and reschedule the proposed works so that everyone who walks those Mt Taylor trails can continue to do so.

We are concerned that regular walkers will relocate to other areas which have also been busier than usual during lockdown, increasing the numbers of people there and, consequently increasing risk of transmission. Closing the paths could mean people who would have got their aerobic exercise from climbing these trails on Mt Taylor might not be able to exercise so vigorously, adversely impacting their fitness.

So much has been taken from us during lockdown, please don’t take this from us, too. Please reschedule the maintenance for just a few weeks later.

• R. Lovett, Pearce

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