Call to end age discrimination
YouthFest coming soon
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Local Honours recipients p2
Quarry tragedy remembered p7
Jamberoo’s spice girls
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26 JUNE 2021
Bike Skills Track opens in old Quarry Local youth now have a new recreational facility, with the opening of the Minnamurra Bike Skills Track. “Our recent surveys showed strong support in our community for projects that deliver sporting facilities, especially those that cater to young people,” says Mayor Mark Honey. “Thanks to our strong working relationship with our State and Federal local members, we have a new facility that helps meet that need.” Council’s previously disused Minnamurra Quarry, at Sanctuary Place, has been transformed for use by cyclists of all abilities, school aged and above. It features two downhill tracks, with senior and junior courses, as well as a balance skills course. There are also picnic shelters, park benches, amenities and a carpark. There is room for a pump track and areas members and key stakefor pre-schoolers when furholders” says Megan Peters, ther funds become available. Community Liaison Officer “Council has received for L’Étape Australia. numerous requests for a bike “We appreciate the input of skills track in recent years, the many people we spoke to and it is great to be able to in relation to the date, some have it up and running,” says of whom amended arrangeMayor Honey. ments to accommodate us, “This new track compleand we would like to thank ments our many other bike them for their support of and skating facilities and bringing L’Étape Australia to infrastructure throughout the life in the region.” Municipality.” November has been idenThe track includes features continued on page 4 suggested during community
L’Etape sets dates for 2021 and 2022
Organisers have confirmed the next L’Etape Australia event will be held on Sunday 28 November, as well as foreshadowing that it will hold an event on the same weekend in 2022. The date, and the change of day to Sunday, was first mooted in community consultation meetings in midApril, which were followed by extensive consultation with the three councils involved and community members.
Keen to avoid the logistical criticisms of their previous attempt to hold the event (which had to be called off at the last minute due to torrential rain), there will now be no road closures on the Saturday. Saturdays are particularly busy for sport and weddings in our area. “This date has been confirmed following a number of considerations brought to our attention through our discussions with community
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consultation with residents, community groups and local schools. The design was finalised by bike track specialists Dirtz Track, which has built more than 120 mountain bike, pumptrack and BMX facilities in Australia and overseas. The 250 metres of track was constructed by Council workers, who used more than 2,000 tonnes of clean soil sourced from other local sites. Minnamurra Lions Club helped by repairing existing picnic shelters and building the timber balance skills section. At the opening, the Federal Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips MP, said she was happy to support the community project with $150,000 from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. The Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward MP, said he was pleased to see the new track officially open in time for the school holidays. “I was very pleased to help secure $50,000 funding from the NSW Government for this fantastic project, which will make a real and lasting difference in our local community.” Councillor Mark Way, who championed the project from the start, is now keen to get associated work done to
enhance the experience. Bryan Goddard, a former professional BMX rider now running B’s Bike Worx, was given the honour of being the first to try out the track. He has plans to run courses and coaching programs there for local kids, ranging from basic to advanced skills, through an eight week Active Kids program. “I’ll be able to host some competitions as well and hopefully we can connect with the local youth services and we can do some really cool things together,” says Bryan. Bryan also teaches kids with disabilities to ride bikes and is hoping to use the new Minnamurra track for this purpose. “I have a lot of people with disabilities that I work with who are racing BMX and mountain biking, so this is another really good platform for them to excel in their riding and get out in the community, be social, have friends and build networks,” says Bryan. The tragic history of the Quarry has been remembered with a plaque and a song (see page 9). The Minnamurra Bike Skills Track is open 8am to 5pm, seven days a week. Riders must wear a helmet and appropriate safety gear when using the track.
ALL MECHANICAL REPAIRS • LOG BOOK SERVICING • BRAKE & CLUTCH SPECIALIST • AUTO ELECTRICAL REPAIRS SMASH REPAIRS • INSURANCE CLAIMS & PRIVATE WORK • WINDSCREENS • TOWING TYRES • BALANCE AND ROTATION • FULL RANGE AVAILABLE REGISTRATIONS • PINK SLIPS – CAR, VAN, BIKE, TRAILERS