Seaforth bike track: Controversial trails to be pulled down after council vote

Controversial BMX bike trail and jumps, which were created by the community without permission, will be pulled down by the council. It comes after concerns over environment and safety. Find out what people are saying here.

Northern Beaches Council has fenced off around a hectare of land where an unauthorised BMX bike trail has been created at Seaforth. Picture: Supplied.

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A series of BMX bike trail and jumps in Seaforth, which were built by the community without permission, will be pulled down.

It follows a 12-year-old boy being flown to hospital in September after a horrifying accident at another unofficial bike jump in Mona Vale, which resulted in a decision to dismantle the site.

Emergency helicopter and ambulance paramedics attend to a boy, 12, who fell from his bicycle on a jump ramp in a reserve at Mona Vale. Picture: CareFlight

At a public council meeting on Tuesday evening, concerns were raised over environment, safety and alleged criminal activity at the unauthorised trails in Seaforth.

As a result the council decided to knock it down and will regenerate the bushland which has been “destroyed”, with promises to upgrade the authorised bike trail called the Grove.

The works are expected to start in 2020/2021 in consultation with riders, while the council looks into new locations for another potential bike park on the northern beaches.

Emergency services attend to a boy who was injured while riding a jump ramp in a reserve at Mona Vale, which has been removed. Picture: CareFlight

The area was fenced off by the council in May, but it appears the council’s locks have since been damaged and the site re-entered.

A representative speaking on behalf of bike riders, Matthew Ward, urged councillors to keep it intact until they could offer another alternative at the public council meeting.

“The council cannot tolerate illegal jumps, but the council also has a responsibility to deliver recreation areas for the community,” Mr Ward said during the public meeting.

“My suggestion is to follow the motion on the basis that in 12 months time, if the council haven’t delivered anything at least the bike trail is still there.”

Unauthorised BMX bike jumps created at Seaforth. Picture: Supplied.

Meanwhile Samuel Stockwell warned the council that unauthorised trails would continue to pop up unless they could provide an alternative.

“It took one crazy complaint from a resident about chainsaws and bulldozers being used for the fences to go up, with no community consultation or communication to the riders, even though nothing’s changed,” Mr Stockwell said at the council meeting.

“The kids are only locals, they don’t have cars to get to other trails. There’s no other formal facilities anywhere near here.

“They’re just going to keep popping up in every park all over the northern beaches until there’s formal tracks made. [The Grove] It’s been sitting there and its never had maintenance.”

Dave Musgrove, another supporter for the unauthorised trail spoke at the council meeting, stating “it should be no surprise riders have built a bike jump which the council has continuously failed to provide over the years”.

“The trails have been audited and have shown to be designed to best practice. They’re much safer than the jumps currently in the official zone.”

Unauthorised BMX bike jumps and trails have been created at Seaforth using power tools and heavy machinery. Picture: Supplied.

But resident Louise Williams told councillors on Tuesday she “welcomes the recommended removal of illegal jumps and an alternate site for bikers”.

“Residents initially believed this was primarily an environmental issue about the lost of bush for small birds found nowhere else in our area,” Ms Williams said at the meeting.

“Our local reserves had been targeted by a group of young men who considered themselves above the law and give other people in the biking community a bad name.

“We’re sorry the council has had to shoulder the burden of cleaning up their rubbish and bongs, the cost falling upon rate payers. Although this may seem to be a local dispute, I think there’s a lot more at stake.”

The trails which will be pulled down have been built at Baringa Ave and Koobilya St reserves, owned by the council and by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Councillor David Walton at Manly Beach. Picture: Adam Yip

According to council agenda papers, the council sought feedback from the community in June and July before councillors made a decision at the public meeting on Tuesday.

The Northern Beaches Police Area Command had also provided advice and raised concerns over “lack of passive surveillance where the unauthorised bike trails have been built and there is evidence of anti-social behaviour in this area,” council papers state.

At the council meeting Cr David Walton said “the best place for young people is where they can be seen”.

“Any bike tracks, particularly frequented by young people, should be visible to passing pedestrians and passing motorists including the police to make them safe locations,” Cr Walton told the Manly Daily.