Unclear future for BMX track
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More than $10,000 is being spent each year to maintain the underutilised Warragul BMX track as it nears the end of its expected lifespan.
Track maintenance has fallen to Baw Baw Shire after the Warragul Wyld Dogs BMX Club disbanded more than 10 years ago, just two years after a $179,000 redevelopment at the site next to Western Park.
Following a community request, Cr Danny Goss called for a report on the viability of the BMX track at the April council meeting.
The officer report, presented to this month’s meeting, noted a 2013 study had given the track a lifespan of 10 plus years.
With councillors noting low usage, track difficulty, ongoing costs and no active club to assist with maintenance, its future remains unclear.
AusCycling has committed to inspecting the track and providing feedback on its current condition and future opportunities, council said. However, this inspection is yet to be confirmed.
The report found council had spent $91,500 maintaining the track since 2014/15. Consuming the entire $10,000 annual skate and BMX renewal budget in recent years, the report said this meant “other facilities across the shire are not being renewed.”
The $179,000 redevelopment in 2011 was funded by a $150,000 state government grant and $20,000 plus in-kind work from the Wyld Dogs BMX Club. It was officially opened in October 2011.
To serve the club of 20 active members, the works included realignment and increasing the size of the starting mound, a new track layout and installing a new starting gate and finish line infrastructure.
After the club folded in late 2013, the finish gates were removed and starting gates ceased to operate.
Previous to this work, the report stated “council had limited to no involvement in the venue”.
After 25 years of being developed and maintained by volunteers, council worked with local BMX enthusiasts to formalise the dirt BMX track in about 2006.
Constructed from granitic sand and other natural materials, its lifespan is impacted by less durable materials and weather, says the report.
“This type of facility relies on an active club to assist with maintenance and programming to reach its full potential,” it said.
“The track is built on the former Warragul tip and therefore any future works earthworks would require additional considerations such as soil testing to inform project budgets.”
Cr Goss said maintenance of the track had fallen to council after the BMX Club disbanded.
Whilst noting “there’s certainly community members who have used it”, he said “it’s not being used very often.”
Cr Goss added council’s newly formed cycling projects reference group felt “this site is too constrained and the track condition too poor for it to be a permanent BMX track.”
He said the group had recommended a new track elsewhere as part of an overall cycling precinct and this site to be reconfigured into a jump and skills park.
“It seems this track isn’t fit for purpose these days,” he concluded.
Cr Peter Kostos said BMX had a chequered past in Baw Baw Shire as interested youngsters moved on to other pursuits.
However, now an Olympic sport, he said more kids may want a venue to train.
“It’s important that we have a BMX track, but we need to do it right as well,” Cr Kostos said.
Cr Keith Cook said BMX was a team sport and riders really needed to be part of a club.
Whilst the original group had about 20 members, he thought more than double this number was required to make a club and track viable.
Cr Cook said “you really needed to be an experienced rider” to use the advanced Warragul track, whilst noting the rise of mountain biking and BMX freestyle.
“I believe that council should be very cautious in dealing with BMX track racing in the future,” he said. “However, we should always keep an open mind because there’s a lot of kids out there who need to do things.”
Student Yvan Buensalido holds a bowl of Holy water to assist Father Brendan Hogan to officially bless the new learning spaces alongside principal Roslyn Joyner at St Joseph’s school.