Reid Park BMX track plans: Environmental groups hit out

Plans have been revealed for a new BMX track in a Mosman park with youngsters saying the facility would be good for their mental health – but critics have already raised concerns.

New battle lines have been drawn in the north shore’s BMX stoush as environmental groups hit out at plans for a new dedicated track at a popular park in Mosman Bay.

Draft plans have been released to build an off-road kids bike track at Reid Park aimed at the rising numbers of 5-16 year olds ditching screen time for the thrills and spills of BMXing.

Plans by Mosman Council show the 30m long track would be built at the northern end of the park and would include signage to define its use and fencing separating it from walkers.

A concept plan showing where the new track would be built.

Mosman councillors in favour of the plan say the dedicated site could bring a six-month stoush over an authorised BMX track at Georges Height to a close after meeting opposition and environmental concerns from the Harbour Trust and National Parks and Wildlife, which owns and manages the site.

The makeshift track was built by teenagers during the Covid lockdown without Harbour Trust approval and sections of the track have now been taped off by unknown opponents in the community.

One local youngster, named Ashton, spoke at a recent Mosman Council meeting to encourage councillors to give the Reid Park option the go-ahead.

A photo of local BMX riders at Reid Park.

“It keeps everybody off screens, it gives us downtime from school, it’s good for our mental health and it relieves stress from school work,” he said.

“With issues around safety, I feel like if we are given a designated space to build jumps we could have a first-aid kit available.”

Mosman Parks & Bushland Association president Kate Eccles called for the council to consider trailing the Reid Park set-up to assess safety and environmental impacts before its made permanent.

“We certainly sympathise with the children but at the same time Reid Park is very well used by pedestrians and as a dog walking park

Councillor Jacqui Willoughby pictured with cyclists at Reid Park.

“I’ve already seen a very near miss between a bike rider and a child and adding more cyclists to the park is a potentially dangerous mix and an accident waiting to happen.”

Ms Eccles said a track built by the council – rather than its young users – could also take the fun out of the sport and lead to more tracks being formed into surrounding bushland.

“During lockdown there have already been some dirt tracks built by children in the bush slopes where vegetation has been carefully regenerated over many years,” she said.

“Children are having enormous fun building their own things, digging up dirt and creating jumps, and I feel having one built isn’t going to do the same thing for them.

A plot of the taped-off sections of the Georges Heights BMX track.

“It would need to be patrolled because we’ve very keen to make sure there are no more tracks through the bush slopes.”

Councillor Jacqui Willoughby said BMX riding had encouraged the region’s youngest residents to keep active during lockdown, but recognised there were strong opinions about the suitability of the set ups in public areas.

“It’s highly political and it tends to pit people who like passive engagement in public spaces against those who refer more active uses of it,” she said

“I’ve seen a lot of environmental groups raise concerns and saying we all have to save the planet and enjoy the planet, and when children find something they actually like to do in the environment I feel like the grown-ups in certain segments of the population are saying ‘no’.

“In Mosman, we have a finite resource of public land and we need to be flexible and learn how to share it.

A basic bike track has already been built by youngsters at Reid Park.

“It’s a great social activity for children. It’s not about attracting an international gaze of cyclists but for children at that entry level of proficiency to have a dedicated site where they can go.”

The plans come after unauthorised tracks were created by children at Forsyth Park in Neutral Bay during lockdown – prompting some residents to lobby North Sydney Council to have it removed.

Lane Cove Council is meanwhile investigating plans to create a BMX track at Blackman Park to meet demand from young cyclists.

The council said the track could be similar to the Castle Cove BMX track managed by Willoughby Council.

Plans for the Reid Park form part of a new plan of management for the Mosman Bay area that also incorporates Sirius Cove Reserve, Harnett Park and Curraghbeena Park.

Consultation is open until November 26.