Urban Mountain Bike and BMX Facilities and Trails

Background and Council Direction

At its meeting on 16 February 2021, Council requested the Chief Executive Officer to initiate development of a formal, detailed business case for the provision of a combined mountain bike and BMX facility at Whitfords West Park; improvements to the existing BMX tracks at Haddington Park, Triton Park and Littorina Park; and interconnected mountain bike trails through Craigie, Mullaloo and Padbury, in response to a 349-signature petition received in December 2020.

The facilities that will be considered by the business case correspond to a need identified by the City’s Outdoor Youth Recreation Strategy for a dedicated BMX facility in the central/coastal part of the City.

Current Status

In line with the City’s Project Management Framework, the City has prepared a project plan to guide development of the business case.

A business case is a feasibility study that investigates whether a project should go ahead based on social, financial, and environmental factors.

The business case process will define the objectives for the project/facilities (including financial, useability, safety, access, community satisfaction) and provide a robust framework to evaluate various facility and site options against these objectives. The business case process then tests preferred option(s) through financial impact modelling and risk assessment.

Next steps

As a community-led idea focussed on facilities for young people, the City will work with local young people to contribute to the development of location and facility options for BMX and mountain bike features and connecting trails. This collaborative process will identify preferred options for facilities and trails across Craigie, Mullaloo and Padbury in line with Council’s direction. The feasibility of the preferred options will then be investigated by the business case and presented to Council.

Consultation with the wider community and surrounding residents will occur once the business case is completed, and before any decision on providing facilities is made by Council.