Community Update
Council has reviewed a range of sites where make-shift bike paths and jumps have been erected over the COVID pandemic period. A number of actions such as youth engagement, and site assessments were conducted to ensure community feedback was shared and that sites were returned to a safe condition.
Community context
During 2020 Council and community noticed a rise in makeshift dirt jumps and bike tracks in many parks, which increased during the lock downs in Melbourne. In response to this Council explored many options and engaged with the community about opportunities for BMX, Mountain bike tracks (MTB) and other recreational activities for young people in our parks.
Over December 2020, we heard from over 500 children, young people, parents, and the wider community who use our parks. We heard that you would like improved BMX and MTB facilities in Moonee Valley. You can read our Community Engagement Report here along with a snapshot of the findings.
Council has worked on a number of projects to provide purpose-built bike facilities in Moonee Valley. Further information about these projects is provided under the headings below.
Ongoing management of bike jumps and tracks in parks and reserves
Council will continue to monitor unplanned jumps/tracks. We will need to remove any high-risk jumps and those which impact cultural and ecological sites or where they affect other park users.
Stay tuned for further consultations. You can email or call Council’s City Design team for further information on parkimprovements@mvcc.vic.gov.au or 9243 8888.
The upgrade to Fanny St Reserve bike track was completed in early 2024 You can find further details about this project here: https://yoursay.mvcc.vic.gov.au/fannystbiketrack
Council installed a pop-up pump track in Montgomery Park, Essendon, in 2022.
The aim of this pop-up pump track is to have it rotate around parks in the municipality so that everyone in our community will have a chance to enjoy this pump track close to their home. More information can be found here: https://yoursay.mvcc.vic.gov.au/rotating-pop-up-pump-track
Council engaged expert track designers ‘Common Ground Trails’ to complete a feasibility study to explore whether a Mountain Bike trail, a pump track, a jumps park or a skills track could successfully be located at one of our 6 shortlisted sites in Moonee Valley:
- Aberfeldie Park northern hillside embankment
- Boeing Reserve / Essendon Fields
- Border Drive Reserve
- Maribyrnong River Regional Park
- Spring Gully Reserve
- Rosehill Easement.
The study examined surfacing, safety, benefits, costs and maintenance of various bike facilities, with regards to site constraints and appropriateness of various bike facilities. Each site was assessed against detailed criteria to determine a ranking, and recommendations were made for further action as detailed below, which Council will continue to progress:
- Aberfeldie Park: Aberfeldie Park was ranked the highest for a new mountain bike trail. This has undergone community consultation with further information on the project available here: https://yoursay.mvcc.vic.gov.au/aberfeldie-park
- Border Drive Reserve: The feasibility report nominates Border Drive Reserve as a suitable site for a possible junior skills bike facility, pending impacts of the Airport Rail link. The recommendations of the feasibility study can be considered in the preparation of any future planning for the park.
- Sites requiring working with partners: The Maribyrnong River Regional Park provides an opportunity for a regional scale bike facility, however there are a number of significant constraints including further analysis of biodiversity and cultural heritage complications, significant funding requirements, and approval to develop on Parks Victoria land.
- Non feasible sites: Spring Gully Reserve and Rosehill Easement were not considered suitable for a bike facility development.
