Best alternate sites for Anglesea’s bike park identified

AN UPDATED assessment of alternate locations for the Anglesea Bike Park has identified the two best options should the bike park be forced to move.

Surf Coast Shire councillors considered an addendum to the Anglesea Bike Park Location Option Analysis at their December 11 meeting.

A location option analysis carried out by World Trail on behalf of the shire earlier in the year found the existing site on Alcoa-owned land in Camp Road was the best place for a bike park in Anglesea.

However, this analysis only considered Crown land, and Alcoa proposed that there were two other options on its freehold land.

According to the assessment of the noweight sites, Site C (Camp Road) offered the best alternative location for the Anglesea Bike Park, but Site D (Alcoa South) would be an acceptable alternative, should Site C be ruled out due to other factors.

Both Site C and Site D rated medium-high for “feasibility” and within the 61-70 per cent range for “suitability”.

The estimated development cost for either site is up to $1.5 million.

At their meeting, the council acknowledged Alcoa had written to the council to offer an 18-month lease extension on the existing bike park (until June 2020), and that the company is “not currently considering the sale of the land” but “retains a position that there is an opportunity for a bigger and better facility at a new site and this is the best long term outcome for the community”.

“We know that the existing bike park is dearly loved in the Anglesea community and beyond, so we need to examine all options as we look to the future ,” Anglesea ward councillor Margot Smith said.

Fellow ward councillor Libby Coker said the council was committed to reaching the best longterm outcome.

“We will continue to work with Alcoa, the Victorian government and Anglesea Bike Park community,” Cr Coker said.

The council also noted that officers have started developing concepts and a business case for a trails network in the area to complement existing trails in the region, with a report to be presented at a future council meeting.