In 2021, we saw a surge in children and young people embracing bike riding activities on the Mornington Peninsula, with many creating their own jumps within park lands and on roadside reserves.
In response to the community's interest in bike activities, last year Mornington Peninsula Shire appointed @leisure Planners to prepare a Recreational Facilities for Mountain Bike and BMX Strategy.
The Strategy aims to ensure dirt jumps, skills parks and pump tracks are in appropriate locations and designed together with the community.
We undertook the first round of community consultation last year, asking your input to help us start to develop the Strategy. We wanted to know what was important to you, what an ideal site would look like and where they should be.
Thanks to your contribution we've now developed the draft Recreational Facilities for Mountain Bike and BMX Strategy and we want your feedback.
Your insights on the draft Strategy will help shape the future of recreational BMX and mountain biking throughout the Peninsula.
How to have your say
Community consultation is currently open and closes 5pm 1 December 2022.
To view the draft Strategy and share your thoughts visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/bikesports.
Hard copy forms are also available at Shire Customer Service Centres.
We listened to your feedback last year as part of our Recreational Facilities for Mountain Bike and BMX Strategy consultation and you said the bike community needed:
- Dirt jumps built by young people.
- Authorised and appropriate locations.
- Signage with codes of conduct and parameters for building dirt jumps.
- More recreational bike park facilities catering for a range of different abilities.
We are working with @leisure Planners, AusCycling and experienced local trail builders from Trailscapes to create a space where our young people can be creative and showcase their dirt jump building skills.
The dedicated area may include jump lines, table-tops, gap jumps, whale tails, berms and more. If all this terminology sounds unfamiliar, it's enough to know we're working hard to address the issue of makeshift bike jumps being built in sensitive environments.
The trail builders will mentor and educate our team of young builders on how to safely construct the jumps making sure the natural environment is protected and all the considerations agreed on by Council are met.
This six-week pilot program will also be used to gather feedback to inform the final draft of the Recreational Facilities for Mountain Bike and BMX Strategy on how the Shire manages community built dirt jumps into the future.
To be part of the pilot program, registrations are essential! To learn more and to register your interest in the building and maintenance of the dirt jumps, visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/dirtjumps.
Quote attributable to Mayor and Briars Ward Councillor Anthony Marsh:
"We look forward to getting your feedback on the Strategy and working closely with our community to identify suitable locations and build dirt jumps. We hope this grassroots pilot program will create a positive future for mountain bike and BMX enthusiasts and our broader community."
"The draft Strategy and the pilot program will help everyone to enjoy bike activities safely, and we can work together to create bike parks in appropriate locations."
Quote attributable to Briars Ward Councillor Steve Holland:
"Mountain Bike and BMX sports are important to our community and this initiative will give our young people an outlet for their energy and creativity, as well as getting them outside in nature, socially connecting with their community in a positive way."
Quote attributable to Briars Ward Councillor Despi O'Connor:
"We are really excited that Citation Reserve will be the site for the dirt jumps pilot program! I'm looking forward to seeing local community members coming together locals to embrace their passion for bike sports and dirt jump making."
