Bare Creek Bike Park, Belrose closed by vandal attacks
The $2m Bare Creek bike park opened to much fanfare late last year, now selfish vandals trying to break in have trashed the much-loved facility.
Manly
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Selfish vandals desperate for a ride have damaged trails and equipment at Sydney’s premier mountain bike park.
About eight rogue riders descended on the Bare Creek Bike Park on Sunday and tore out numerous steel bollards and chains used to close off the $2 million facility’s multiple trails and dramatic jumps.
The park at Belrose — which opened in December — had been closed to the public over the weekend due to dangerously high winds and rain, but the pack of vandals decided to ignore “closed” signs and tore up the muddy trails.
Dedicated volunteers from the Bare Creek Volunteer Trail Crew are now working with Northern Beaches Council, which manages the free facility, to repair the damage to the trails and replace the bollards so the park can reopen.
The volunteers, part of Trail Care, are responsible for maintaining the trails and jumps at Bare Creek.
Trail Care’s Matt Ward told the Manly Daily that one of the volunteers discovered the damage late on Monday afternoon.
Mr Ward said the chains were necessary to protect the trails from being damaged when they get wet.
“The irony of this is, and the reason it happened, is that all of the local riders, who follow the updates and part of the (mountain biking) community, were doing the right thing and were not at the park.
“We’ve got a very strong and protective community that’s been doing an amazing job at taking care of this place, but unfortunately there will be times when people, likely from out of an area, come an do the wrong thing.
“This is an absolutely amazing facility, and a wonderful example of council and volunteer groups working together to provide something really special for the community.
“People doing the wrong thing risk the facility being lost to everybody.”
Northern Beaches Council's acting CEO Jeff Smith said Bare Creek was temporarily closed to prevent possible injury to riders and repair the damage.
“Gates used to secure the trails were damaged and will need to be replaced, as well as damage to several trails will need repair,” Mr Smith said.
“Council is consulting with police as to suitable security measures at this site.”
The $2million, 6ha park, created out of a portion of a former landfill site, cater for riders of all levels.
It features nine downhill bike trails, skills and dirt jump areas, a pump track, walking trails, a dedicated access road, as well as amenities and onsite parking.
“It took three years and 80,000 cubic metres of sandstone to rehabilitate this former tip site and create a world-class mountain bike park that is not only a boon for residents but will attract professional riders from across the country,” Davidson MP Jonathan O’Dea said.
The NSW Government is contributing a further $1.5 million for ongoing maintenance of the bike park with the transfer of custodianship to Northern Beaches Council.
EARLIER
World class bike park opens on beaches
By Julie Cross
December 11, 2020
The Bare Creek Bike Park, at Belrose, created from a rehabilitated and transformed portion of a former landfill site, will cater for riders of all levels.
The park features nine downhill bike trails, skills and dirt jump areas, a pump track, walking trails, a dedicated access road, as well as amenities and onsite parking.
After almost 50 years of landfill activity, the Belrose Waste Management Centre ceased operations in late 2014.
“It took three years and 80,000 cubic metres of sandstone to rehabilitate this former tip site and create a world-class mountain bike park that is not only a boon for residents but will attract professional riders from across the country,” Davidson MP Jonathan O’Dea said.
“This has been a combined effort the community and government should be proud of and we invite residents and visitors to come and test out the bike and walking trails and enjoy these new open spaces.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Rob Stokes, said following extensive community consultation the Environmental Service Group, part of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, worked in close partnership with Northern Beaches Council, Dirt Art Pty Ltd and Trail Care to deliver the bike park.
“Public spaces play a vital role in bolstering our wellbeing and our local businesses and we will continue to deliver usable public spaces our communities can enjoy,” he said.
The Government is also contributing a further $1.5 million for ongoing maintenance of the bike park with the transfer of custodianship to Northern Beaches Council.
Northern Beaches Mayor, Michael Regan, said: “We are so pleased to offer the community this once-in-a-lifetime recreational facility.
“It’s been a wonderful collaboration between Northern Beaches Council, the NSW Government, local mountain biking advocacy and consultancy group, Trail Care, and acclaimed mountain bike trail builder, Dirt Art.
“No matter what skill level you’re at, there is something to suit all levels.”
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