Centennial Park to Host New Mountain Bike Trails

By Keiran Blake, keiranblake13@yahoo.com.au on May 5, 2020 in Other

A completed section of the new MTB at Centennial Park. Photo: Handell Barrs

A mini mountain bike park and trail network is to be created in Centennial Park, much to the delight of riders in the Eastern Suburbs. The MTB Park will be established in the wooded area between the reservoir and the federation monument, while the MTB Trail will follow the inside of the perimeter fence. The facility will be the only one of its kind in the region.
“This is great news for local mountain bikers,” said a spokesperson for the group which submitted the proposal to Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust.
“The MTB Park will be designed by experts and built among the rocks and trees of the wooded area, which also offers a natural gradient as well as features for jumps and tricks. Because this space lends itself so well to mountain biking, the park should be completed very soon.”
The MTB Trail, meanwhile, will see the upgrading of the path that runs along the inside of the perimeter fence. The MTB Trail will allow riders to work on their endurance, and will be linked to the MTB Park.
Local mountain bikers were previously forced to travel to locations such as Hornsby, Loftus or Cecil Park to enjoy genuine mountain bike trails. They can now ride in a location which has long been synonymous with cycling.
“The application process was long and arduous and at times we were discouraged,” explained the spokesperson.
“We even considered converging on the space in such large numbers, day after day, that authorities would simply let us ride, just like local dog owners do at parks and beaches and playgrounds. However, we decided to follow the rules and we have finally been rewarded.”
The MTB Park will be off limits to dogs, pedestrians and other users, in the interests of safety, while signposts will inform mountain bikers where they can and can’t ride legally within Centennial Park. Riders will also be made aware that they ride entirely at their own risk.
The MTB Trail will be a shared facility, and Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust expressed its confidence that riders and other users will use common sense and courtesy to ensure that the path can be enjoyed by all, with the aid of additional signage and directional markers.
Those behind the new facility expect it to be as popular as The Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden, especially since the MTB Park lies so close to Bondi Junction.
The facility is expected to be finished in the coming months, and designers are asking the public to suggest names for the different trails, so contact Centennial Park and Moore Park with your most creative ideas.