Construction of a new bike skills park in the Ashburton Domain will get under way in March.
The park will be called Tarbotton RideSmart Park, in recognition of a donation of machinery and labour by Ashburton company Tarbotton Land & Civil.
Tarbottons, the district council and a working group of community members charged with bringing the park to life signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday to officially get the project under way.
Mayor Liz McMillan, who is on the working group, said in a statement the generous donation by Tarbottons meant construction could start at the end of summer.
“We’ve also had generous funding from the Lion Foundation and Mid and South Canterbury Community Trust, and now with the help of Tarbottons and other local businesses we are able to start the physical build.”
It will be built in the domain, near the children’s playground. The existing asphalt pump track will be removed and a new, bigger track built in its place.
The park will feature a network of roads, with stop and give way signs; plus traffic lights, a railway crossing and a roundabout – all of which cyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians encounter when moving around Ashburton and other urban centres.
Tarbotton Land & Civil business development manager Tim Tarbotton said the company had been on board during the planning stages and saw the park as a valuable and educational community facility.
“There’s such great enthusiasm for this bike park and it was an easy decision to offer to project manage the job and donate the machinery and people needed to get the work done. We’re planning for construction to take just three months.”
The park is aimed at teaching road safety skills to children, young people and adults as they learn how to ride a bike or scooter.
McMillan said while the major funders had enabled the project to get under way, there were still sponsorship opportunities for local businesses, groups or people who wanted to contribute.
“We know there are more supporters out there and their help will mean we can finish this project to a high standard that will serve the community well for years.”
Supporters will be acknowledged on a project sign to be erected at the park.
The Memorandum of Understanding for the signing was prepared free of charge by Tavendale & Partners.
