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Planning for a bike park in Ku-ring-gai
Got this from the council and thought that by posting it here we could get some additional feedback to the council.
Hi all
Council currently has an opportunity to obtain a professional concept design for a off road bike playground.- ( BMX/Mountain Bike)
The most suitable area council has identified is off the end of Golden Jubilee Oval, Esk Street Wahroonga and the old quarry at the end of Clissold Road Wahroonga, both at the bushland edge. see attached images of proposed areas here.This will allow two separate areas joined by the North Wahroonga to North Turramurra fire trail. Making a cycling precinct/hub.
We can't promise this to be built in any particular time but we can aim to have a good plan which will assist us when requesting funding and gaining community/council acceptance.What I would like to know from the cycling community is what you want/what would be used by the majority of the community. The following features have been suggested by the designers.Is this in line with your skill base.( I'm afraid down hill is out at this stage)
Eg. runs with dirt jumps, a couple of short skills loops that are designed for riding skills progression, low risk timber and soil obstacles/features, a pump track, cross country dirt criterium.Would it be best to have two separate parks ( Clissold and Golden Jubilee) with two skill levels or a mix of skills one leading to the other.
If you would like to share you knowledge on community needs, please get back to me prior to me engaging the planners who would create Ku-ring-gai's off road cycling playground concept.
I'd be happy for a phone chat or reply in email.
Regards
Mary-Lou Lewis
Environmental Levy Natural Areas Program Leader
Ku-ring-gai Council
Phone: 94240961
Mobile 0425233347
Fax: 9424 0870
Adding the attachment to this post was more painful than pulling teeth so you can find it here.
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is the email address easy to find or attach to the thread?
I want speak with Mary-Lou first before posting her email address. Just hold your fire for a few days until I find out what sort of format they want responses in. I will post a reply after I have spoken with her.
My reading of the email is that they just want to get a feel for what type of park people want i.e. XC, DH, DJ etc.
"down hill is out"
Fair enough.
"Short skills loops, low risk timber and soil obstacles/features, a pump track, and cross country"
Sounds good to me.
"Would it be best to have two separate parks ( Clissold and Golden Jubilee) with two skill levels or a mix of skills one leading to the other."
Both. One area could have the dirt-pumptrack and dirt-jumps, with the other having the low level timber structures etc (skills park), with a XC singletrack joining the two. It's advantageous to have a close water supply for the pump and jumps. It might be easier to get the water to the Golden Jubilee site (from the park).
I'm not familiar with the terrain around there (and am living in the UK so can't check it out) but two skills/jump/freeride/shore areas linked by a couple of xc singletrack loops would be spot on.
Again, I don't know if the terrain suits it but a 4x/dual slalom track would be a great addition to the plans. Not quite downhill but a really fun way to spend a few hours sessioning with mates.
There's no need to re-invent the wheel here. Councils should be seeking guidance on such projects from other locations around the globe where they have implemented hugely successful facilities just like this.
http://www.7stanes.gov.uk/forestry/achs-5rnfvj
http://www.hoots.ca/projects/
An important step in providing such a facility is trail obstacle grading. The Forestry Commission in the UK has embarked on an effort to introduce signage throughout its trail network to advise cyclists what to expect when riding a particular section. By providing this information the land owners are able to protect themselves from the inevitable law suits filed by those unable to take responisibilty for their own actions when riding a bike.
http://www.7stanes.gov.uk/website/forestry.nsf/b...
Good luck! I'll be moving home in 2012 and something like this would make the transition all the sweeter!
Cheers.
Have you spoken to her yet? Is there a nice way we can bombard her with supportive suggestions?
I sent Mary-Lou an email with a link to this forum and when I spoke with her this morning she commented on how informative the replies have been. So instead of contacting her directly please post your comments and suggestions here in the knowledge that she is reading them.
They are currently looking at getting a company to do a prelinimary study using the ideas she presented in her original email together with any sensible ideas and suggestions. When the time comes for public consultation I will let you know.
Thanks for the input and keep it coming.
As a local resident, I would be very supportive of the proposed developments.
Of the options suggested, I think the bmx track / pump track option would be best sited at the Golden Jubilee area, as this is more accessible and the ridge top provides a potentially better site for those sort of tracks. Most of the area between there and the old quarries accessed from Clissold street is ex rubbish tip / landfill, so building some single track linking the two areas should pose minimal environmental problems. A well designed track should have few erosion problems (and certainly cause less silting / run off problems than the fire trail recently constructed). Some thought would need to be given as to whether it was constructed as a one way track or whether a loop could be built.
The quarry areas would be ideal for a short XC loop to provide the many mtb users of the area with some interesting and challenging variety to the predominantly fire trail routes currently available.
I understand Turramurra Off Road Cyclists recently obtained council permission to do some minor clearing along the single track which runs from the back of Samuel King Oval through to McCrae Pl at North Turramurra (i.e. adjacent to the proposed sites) and their recent working bee has assisted in this becoming an enjoyable section of track to ride. I am sure that further local volunteer support could be obtained for development / maintenance work on the proposed trails.
Having facilities such as these available will reduce the likelihood of uncontrolled and / or illegal tracks being built, as these usually develop in response to a lack of suitable riding opportunities in the local area. They will also attract some additional business for the local shopping centres In Hampden Ave and Bobbin Head Rd.
I'm one of the many riders around Wahroonga wanting for somewhere to ride apart from fire trails and just wanted to make some suggestions.....
>I know that DH is out of the questions but that would be one of my suggestions
>4X track
>Pump track
>XC Track
>BMX track
Also, i agree with having two different locations for different skill levels. Can't wait until it is finished!
Would be amazing to have one of these in the areas. Dual slalom tracks are amazing fun and a great alternative if funds don't allow for a 4x track. Of course the rest of the ideas are great as well. I think it would be great to have tracks for different disciplines at different levels even if it's just a/b lines. Very few places across NSW have this. I'm excited!!