By Matthew Sims
Maribyrnong council has taken the next step in expanding its bicycle sport facilities, endorsing a draft Maribyrnong Bike Sports Infrastructure and Development Plan.
At its meeting on Tuesday, November 15, council passed a motion to endorse the draft plan and receive a further report following community consultation.
Proposed actions outlined in the draft plan included extending the Quarry Park Mountain Bike Park, renewing and extending the Yarraville Pump Track and providing a four-cross mountain bike track in Cranwell Park and developing learn to ride tracks and pump tracks near play spaces.
Maribyrnong councillor Michael Clarke said the approval of the draft plan was an “absolutely momentous” step in the council’s support of bike sports.
“What we’re looking at here is going to be a further expanding and recognition of cycling and bike sports,” he said.
Cr Clarke said the plan would create potential sites for Maribyrnong to host a number of bike sporting events, including the Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships.
“We can be on the world calendar here in this city,” he said.
“We can use cycling to draw international events here to Maribyrnong.
“We can be the culture bearers for what is a mode of transport, which is going to be transformative for so many of us here in the west.”
Cr Clarke said actions outlined in the plan stretched from the southern end of Maribyrnong to the northern end.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for those who have not had the opportunity to take up cycling,” he said.
“We are leading it for the west.”
Cr Simon Crawford also welcomed the draft plan.
“It’s going to really put our city in the map,” he said.
“It’s going to take cycling from just being something that we use for transport…it’s really going to expand on that and really get people excited about cycling.”
Feedback on the draft plan closes at midnight on Friday, December 16.
Details: www.yourcityyourvoice.com.au/bikesports
