A project to upgrade a BMX club in south Bristol is now under construction and could be open before the end of year.
The club in Hartcliffe will benefit from a £100,000 investment which will fund a brand new bike track in Willmott Park.
Developed by Access Sport CIO, the track will be an open access facility and could open within the next few weeks.
Hartcliffe BMX Club was set up by Access Sport a few months ago in preparation for the track development, with the hope to engage volunteers and participants and determine the interest.
Plans for a permanent, sustainable and volunteer-led community bike club are now being developed.
Access Sport have said the club will be supplied with all necessary equipment, and will run weekly sessions on the track.
Speaking with Access Sport CIO, the aim of developing the Hartcliffe bike track is to ensure that the community have a safe and exciting place to ride their bikes
The new project has been funded by Bristol City Council, Churngold via Quartet and Places to Ride in a bid to signpost young people to their local cycling facilities.
Lucy Fisher, development manager at Access Sport, said: “Hartcliffe Bike Track is an exciting development for Hartcliffe and Bristol as a whole. It is a great asset for the local community as the track will be an exciting place for people to learn to ride or increase their cycling confidence.
“The track has been designed for all ages and abilities to encourage all to take part.
“Access Sport hope that the community bike club based at the track will become a local inclusive and accessible engaging more people into cycling and physical activity.”
A Facebook user commented: “This is great news,” whilst another said, “about time that space was used for the better.”
However, some residents are concerned about the future of the new venture.
One user said: “I think this is great, but I expect rubbish will still get dumped there and ruin it for the kids.”
Another added: “It will be used to ride stolen motorbikes on.”
The Hartcliffe Bike Track is being developed to become a community owned resource, and those who utilise the track are encouraged to look after and respect the facility, Lucy said.
“The track will be inspected regularly and the community club will be a key part in keeping the track clean and rubbish free.
“With regards to the worry about motorbikes, the design of the track does not cater for motorbikes, only for mountain bikes, BMX bikes, scooters and skateboards. The track will also be fenced with a gate that will aim to deter motorbikes from utilising the track.
“The facility is a great asset for the community and we look forward to working with local people to keep it as a sustainable resource for all.”
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