Bluff bike park needs residents’ input
Local businesses and residents with ideas are urged to get involved.
COMMUNITY run, environmentally friendly and educational – this is what planners envision for the Bluff Eco Park’s bicycle track development.
“Without the help and support of the community, this will not happen. It needs to be a community-driven endeavour,” said Community Orientated Policing chairman, Rake Jeeves, who with bicycle track designer, Guy Watkins and members of the Bluff Eco Park is the driving force behind the development of a portion of the park into a bicycle track.
The 3km bicycle track will start in the parking lot of the Bluff Eco Park and will wind its way through bushes, shrub lands and open areas throughout the 11 hectares of land the park occupies. Discussions are ongoing about allowing walkers or joggers on the track and further developments, including a skate park at a later date.
Without the help and support of the community, this will not happen
“About 70 to 80% of the track is already clear land so not much is needed to prepare the track. The rest is old roads and other areas that were used previously, so it is very environmentally friendly and will not impact on the animals. The whole idea is to use the natural land as it is,” said Bluff Eco Park’s Justin Grobler.
He said the plan was to uplift the Bluff, develop skills and give back to local businesses and assured residents the initiative is not for profit.
“We want community organisations to come on board with us as we develop the area – this needs to be a community-oriented thing.
It is not a money-making venture, but it needs to be viable. There will need to be a cover charge but this will be purely for the upkeep of the track and future offerings.
The plan is to develop the area as a safe place for children on the Bluff to allow them to develop skills, get exercise and keep them away from drugs and crime,” said Grobler.
Local businesses and residents with ideas are urged to get involved.
“This is not a business; it is a community-driven programme. We need residents and businesses to get involved. With help, it should take about three months for the track to be up-and-running,” said Jeeves.
Grobler added that the more people involved in the development, the less it will cost to use the facility.
At a later date, the team at the Bluff Eco Park plans to incorporate educational programmes along the route for local schools.
“We want to help the Bluff’s green belt succeed. This is an environmental area and will remain so,” said Melissa Devos from the Bluff Eco Park.
Anyone willing to assist should email rakejeeves@telkomsa.net.
