Qld Councils to seek Trail Bike areas
South East Queensland Mayors have created a taskforce to seek improved trail bike areas.
The drive for dedicated trail bike facilities in SEQ has hit top gear with the region’s 11 mayors committing to find several sites in the region specifically for enthusiasts of the growing sport.
Council of Mayors (SEQ) Chairman Cr Campbell Newman said mayors had agreed to establish a dedicated Trail Bike Taskforce which would identify several key locations in the region that could be used for recreational trail bike facilities, then work out what is needed to get them up-and-running promptly.
“The time for talking about this issue has passed. Through this new taskforce, SEQ mayors will get these facilities identified, planned, constructed and operating as quickly as possible, not years down the track,” Cr Newman said. “We’re talking about a handful of key sites that are properly run, properly managed, with proper workplace health and safety and public liability insurance in place, with decent green buffers between other nearby land holders and whatever else is determined necessary by the taskforce.
“We’ll be looking for large sites located near main roads but in rural areas outside the urban footprint, perhaps old quarries and even those areas already identified through previous processes, but never acted upon for whatever reason. There is even scope to look at further developing existing facilities that need attention to make them successful. We want to provide impressive facilities that will draw trail bike riders from across the region to these key locations and get them away from residential and other areas in our suburbs that are simply not appropriate for trail bikes.”
Cr Newman said trail bike riding was a family-oriented activity with many young participants but suffered from a severe lack of appropriate facilities in SEQ.
“Councils regularly build sporting infrastructure such as tennis and basketball courts in their local communities, but SEQ mayors are keen to build facilities for trail bike riders on a regional basis,” Cr Newman said. “We’re saying let’s get on the front foot, work together and provide the best facilities we can.”
The new taskforce will be headed by Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor, Cr Steve Jones. It will consist of elected representatives and officers from throughout SEQ. The State Government will also be invited to participate. The first meeting will be held in Brisbane in mid-November.
