Coast cycling group eyes moves to Sports Precinct

First football and oztag players were calling it their own, now these cyclists will soon call the Fraser Coast's Sport and Recreation Precinct home

PEDDALING ON: Fraser Coast Cycling Club president Steve Case with fellow riders at the Fraser Coast Sports and Recreation Precinct. Criterion racing will be held at the complex from Sunday to accommodate for safer racing and the club's continued expansion. Picture: Alistair Brightman

CYCLING: FIRST football and oztag players were calling it their own, now these cyclists will soon call the Fraser Coast's Sport and Recreation Precinct home.

Criterion racing will move to the Nikenbah complex from this Sunday in a bid to continue the club's growth and host better quality races.

The Fraser Coast Cycling Club now joins a growing list of sport clubs across Hervey Bay looking to use the precinct for their events, following the completion of its first stage earlier this year.

Club president Steve Case said the club had outgrown its current course at the Hervey Bay Airport Industrial Estate and wanted a safer track for younger riders to use.

"This is the first time we've had a secure area where we're not interfering with traffic or we don't have traffic issues,” Mr Case said.

"We've been considering various options: we used to race at Sexie Coffee just out at the Industrial Area, which was fairly closed and safe and then every alternate week went out to the Industrial Area at the Hervey Bay Airport.

"We've noticed there's more industry and as it starts to develop there's more vehicle traffic coming through.”

Mr Case said there could be potential to develop a dedicated criterion circuit at the precinct as the complex's roads continue to be built.

Development of the Sports Precinct will continue according to its master plan and the outcome of talks with the State and Federal Governments, sporting group, entertainment industry and the local community on future stages.

Councillor Zane O'Keefe said the move was vital for the club's survival to have "somewhere they can depend on to train in”.

"As the region grows, the Sport and Recreation Precinct will be able to cater to more groups and expand with that growth,” Cr O'Keefe said.