More than 80 children at Evatt Primary School have already signed up for its weekly bike club after the recent opening of a new track, built behind the school as a neighbourhood facility.
"The take-up has been incredible," principal Michael Hatswell said.
The bike track was a true community collaboration.
Its design and construction was assisted by the ACT government's new Bumps and Berms volunteer program, which helps residents to build a dirt bike track on public land.
Bike enthusiast Bill Caddey drove the local project, assisted by a team of volunteers.
Abilities Unlimited Australia financed the track through fundraising (including by selling socks) and uses the facility on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm for its Cyclabilities cycling program.
AUA chief executive Robin Robin Arranz said Abilities Australia taught children with diverse needs skills including how to ride bikes and skateboards and water safety. Its land-based programs work out of Evatt Primary which is how the partnership for the new track started. And it's already a big success.
"The kids are absolutely loving it," she said.
Evatt Primary principal Michael Hatswell said from the school's perspective, the track provided another exercise option for the students.
As well as the Friday lunchtime bike club, the track was also used out of school hours by the wider community.
"On the weekend, families were driving in and having a picnic and bringing their bikes and making a bit of an event out of it," he said.
The government's bumps and berms program helps volunteer groups design and create dirt bike tracks in their neighbourhood. The tracks are typically short, with features such as jumps and ramps (bumps) and banked turns (berms).
The Evatt track, built by local outfit Iconic Trails, includes a beginner and intermediate loop and technical features.
Transport Canberra and City Services assistant director, programs and planning, Jeff van Aalst said two other tracks had so far been built, in Downer, next to the oval, and in Chapman, in a local park, thanks to the new bumps and berms initiative which encourages volunteers to register as a group and get their track approved.
"We don't provide any financial assistance but we do approve a little plot of land if it checks all the boxes," he said.
Mr van Aalst said the bumps and berms was a way to formalise the tracks that have been springing up across Canberra.
"Over the years, we've dealt with unapproved ones around town and COVID highlighted that people, as a community, as a group, were keen to create tracks in their neighbourhood," he said.
"The program was in response to that, to try to formalise the process and manage it from our end, make sure it's safe and make sure it's not impacting on trees or residents or any environmental concerns."
More information about the bumps and berms program is at www.cityservices.act.gov.au/ The link is here.
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