Dyoondalup Bike Park Closures During April Holidays Spark Community Frustration
Sections of the popular Dyoondalup Bike Park at Point Walter will be closed over the April school holidays for essential maintenance and safety works, a move that has sparked significant community frustration. The City of Melville announced the closures, which will affect key trails and jump lines, with areas deemed unsafe due to ongoing works being fenced off to limit access.
Timing Mix-Up Leads to Holiday Disruption
A timing mix-up means the maintenance works, originally scheduled to finish in mid-March, will now overlap with the Easter school holidays running from April 3 to April 19. City of Melville chief executive officer Gail Bowman explained that the contractor experienced delays, pushing the schedule into this period. "Works were originally booked to finish mid-March, well outside the school holiday period," Ms Bowman stated.
Deferring the works further would risk compromising the project's quality, as the materials need warmer, drier conditions to cure properly before winter. The city attempted to avoid school holiday periods but faced constraints beyond its control.
Community Backlash on Social Media
The announcement on the City of Melville Facebook page received a frustrated public response, with many questioning the timing. One commenter wrote, "Couldn't you wait until after the school holidays? It's not rocket science," while another noted, "Why do you always do this on the school holidays? You did this last time there was maintenance too." The city responded to feedback, acknowledging the inconvenience but emphasizing the necessity of the works.
Project Details and Impacted Areas
The maintenance project, which began on March 30, is expected to take two to four weeks to complete. It involves rectification and hardening works on trails and jump lines to improve rider safety, with key deteriorated sections being reshaped and stabilised. Affected areas include:
- The jump park
- The green flow trail
- Potentially the black flow trail
However, other sections such as the pump track, green jump line, and blue flow trail will remain open. Ms Bowman highlighted that the contractor, a specialist in mountain bike park infrastructure, was booked six months in advance, making rescheduling impossible.
Long-Term Benefits and City's Explanation
The City of Melville hopes this work will reduce the frequency and cost of ongoing maintenance, enhancing the park's durability. "It is important that works be completed before winter, as the materials used need adequate time to cure and harden in warmer, drier conditions," Ms Bowman added. She assured that the contractor is working efficiently, though completion dates may vary based on ground conditions.
In its Facebook response, the city expressed regret over the timing, stating, "We always try to schedule works like this outside of the school holidays... Unfortunately, on this occasion, there were factors outside the city's control." This incident underscores the challenges of balancing public amenity with essential infrastructure upkeep in community spaces.
