In response to a petition that was created several years ago for the construction of mountain bike trails through the Wembley Golf Course site, earlier this year the Town of Cambridge published a report on cycling facilities within its local government area and the Bold Park site (and in particular the old Skyline Drive-in Cinema site).
The report considered major cycling disciplines, including mountain bike, road and BMX, and is the first time a local government in WA has reviewed recreational cycling in a holistic integrated way. Compared to other sports recreational cycling has limited facilities in WA. For example, currently there is no dedicated criterium track, suitable for learning to ride and racing events, in WA. Similar facilities in other states regularly attract 100+ juniors for club cycling events.
As a result of the report, in May, a group of like-minded individuals with extensive experience in cycling governance formed a working group to liaise with the Town of Cambridge, State Government and local schools to develop various facilities identified in the report and form a multi-disciplinary cycling club around these facilities that focuses on grassroots development of cycling as a recreational sport – with the philosophy that getting kids to ride at a young age will ensure that they become riders for life. One of the larger road racing clubs in Perth, Roues Chaudes Cycling Club has proposed to its members that it merge into the new club.
The working group has called a public meeting for 8:00pm on Thursday, 13 August 2020 at the Leederville Town Hall (84 Cambridge Street, West Leederville). The purpose of the meeting is to seek feedback on the various facilities and concept of a multi-disciplinary cycling club, and send a message to the Town of Cambridge, the State Government and other stakeholders in the western suburbs of the need to treat cycling like other sports and provide facilities.
With cyclocross growing in Perth at a significant rate, we encourage anyone who would like to see more cycling facilities developed in the inner suburbs of Perth to attend this meeting. It’s a great opportunity to show the decision makers in local and state government that there is support for dedicated cycling facilities from a large number of stakeholders. And who wouldn’t want a dedicated cyclocross facility in the Perth metro area!
Additional information about the public meeting can be found via this event that has been published on Facebook.