BMX riders from around Hobart will soon be riding on a new track, with the construction of a new park scheduled to get underway at Pembroke Park on Monday.
The Sorell Council say site fencing will soon be installed and access to the area will be restricted for the duration of the construction.
The new track will built to national standards next to the existing skate park and come complete with a covered start hill/gate and timing equipment.
The development follows the decision made by Sorell Council more than a year ago to support the relocation of the Southern City BMX Track from its current location in Berriedale to Pembroke Park.
Originally, the relocation was proposed for Tolosa Park in Glenorchy, but geotechnical issues at the site made it unsuitable for the BMX facility.
“Preliminary estimates indicated the site stabilisation works required to resolve the geotechnical issues would increase the cost to approximately $2.1 million, far exceeding the project’s proposed budget,” the Glenorchy City Council said in April 2022.
The relocation negotiations led to Pembroke Park being identified as the ideal site due to its size, location and existing cycling infrastructure.
Glenorchy Mayor Bec Thomas said the move was a great outcome for the BMX community, as well as the communities of Glenorchy and Sorell.
“The proposed relocation of the BMX track to Pembroke Park will deliver a brand new, state of the art BMX facility to Southern Tasmania while allowing Glenorchy to progress its vision for the area under the Berriedale Peninsula Master Plan,” Mayor Thomas said in 2022.
“Moving the BMX track from its current home will not only deliver a new and improved BMX track but will also allow us to unlock the economic benefits and development potential of the Berriedale Peninsula, for the benefit of our community.
“While we’ll be sad to see the BMX track leave Glenorchy, its proposed new home at Sorell is much more suitable and will provide a better regional facility for the BMX community.”
The new track will be partially funded by the Tasmanian Government through a $250,000 grant from the Department of Community, Sport and Recreation – originally earmarked for the Tolosa Park project in 2021.
Work is expected to be completed by late September.
