"We want to link these cycleways to provide a safe cycling route into the heart of the inner city and to help make it a place that people want to visit and spend time in.
"Our view is that all forms of transport can share space in the inner city and co-exist together on an equal footing - whether pedestrians, cyclists or motorists.
"It's proven to work well in many towns and cities around the world so we're very keen to see if other Rotorua people also think this is a good idea."
Mr Zuidmeer said large events such as the Rotorua Bike Festival and Crankworx had and would bring thousands of cyclists to the city.
"Many of these people are from cycle-integrated cities and would expect this sort of infrastructure in our city.
"This isn't just for experienced riders, we are looking at the next generation - our kids - who need a safe space to get from A to B."
Council spokesman Jean-Paul Gaston said council teams had been working with several stakeholder groups as part of the Rotorua 2030 Inner City Revitalisation Strategy.
"One of these groups, Rotorua Cycle Action, is a strong advocate for cycling facilities and we've worked with them on other cycleway programmes.
"They approached the council and the Inner City Focus Group about working together to investigate development of a safe cycle route through the inner city, linking up with other cycle trails coming into the downtown area."
Mr Gaston said the new initiative complemented the council's public safety, traffic management, sustainability and cycling objectives.
"If the public response is supportive, we'd then need to carry out an assessment of the physical work the project might require, get it fully costed, determine how it could be funded, identify a timeframe and put it before the council for a decision," he said.
To have your say on cycling in the central city visit the council's website www.rdc.govt.nz and click on the "Inner City Surveys" box on the home page. Or, email rotoruacycleaction@gmail.com
