New Whanganui bike park expected to be completed in March

The new community bike park on London St is expected to be completed by March.

The park project, which is being constructed next to the Splash Centre, is being led by Sport Whanganui but has had significant community input.

It will include a senior and junior pump track, two permanent shade areas and a learn-to-ride track for young children to practise safe cycling and scootering.

Local businesses have supported the project with donated material, equipment and time.

"The project started off slow and took a while to gain momentum but now that people can see things happening they are keen to support it in any way they can," Sport Whanganui's community sport manager Jodie Brunger said.

"I frequently get calls from people asking how they can help to be part of this project."

The senior pump track is almost complete thanks to Department of Corrections Whanganui and the community work parties who installed shell rock paths and mulched the gardens in and around the track.

"The list of people we will need to thank is growing every day but I want to give a special thanks to the Community Work Parties at the Department of Corrections and Glen Bullock from B Bullocks for their outstanding work during this stage of the project.

"It's been a massive community effort to get this stage. In the school holidays we see up to 70 people using the tracks at once.

Although the Whanganui District Council is not contributing financially to the project it gave the go-ahead in late 2015 to use the land between the Splash Centre and YMCA.

Council's Active Transport Facilitator Norman Gruebsch said the bike park is part of the big picture when it comes to encouraging people to use active transport, such as biking or scootering in Whanganui.

"This is a great way people can become confident on their bikes and have a place to experiment and develop their skills," he said.

If you would like to contribute to this project, or find out more, please contact Jodie Brunger at Sport Whanganui on 021 144 8944 or jodie@sportwhanganui.co.nz