Efforts to bring a bike track to the city’s east end are moving forward, with construction of the initial phase set to be completed next summer. Though it’s not clear when or whether the full plan will become a reality.
City officials are currently accepting bids to build an asphalt pump track – a series of rollers and bank turns designed not to require pedalling or pushing and is open to all types of bicycles – at Eastview Community Park on Watson Parkway North.
A request for proposals was issued earlier this month and is set to close on Aug. 22.
“We're all very excited to see this come to fruition,” said Christina Vannelli, a park planner with the city. “It's been a lot of planning and a lot of detailed work. … We’re really looking forward to seeing this one built for the community.
“I know they have a very big and enthusiastic and engaged community involved, so I'm excited for them.”
The project’s concept and location were endorsed by council in 2017, though it has been the topic of community discussions for many years.
In late 2020, council moved up the project’s priority among capital projects, adjusting the anticipated timeline from 2028 to “no later than 2023.”
Vannelli explained that delay was due to the site’s proximity to wetlands and woodlands, which required an environmental impact assessment to “verify there’ll be no negative impact to the environmental features during and after construction.”
The approved plan, with a budget of $850-,000, calls for two additional expansions of the skills and training track – jump lines and a technical trail – “but they're not planned as of right now,” said Vannelli, noting that doesn’t mean they won’t happen at some point in the future.
