Correspondence Re: Building a bike park in View Royal Park

Sept. 18, 2018

Town of View Royal 45 View Royal Ave. Victoria BC V9B 1A6

Attention: Committee of the Whole

Dear members of the Committee of the Whole,

We are writing to ask you to:

confirm to staff that you will proceed with building a bike park in View Royal Park;
direct staff that the bike park will include a paved pump track and skills development stations;
define a project budget amount that is sufficient to build facilities that include design criteria for sustainability (low maintenance) and a wide range of user appeal (fun for all skill levels).

I believe this project should proceed because it will offer a new opportunity to the citizens of View Royal (especially the youth) to enjoy the time spent riding their bikes while also developing their bike handling skills. Out of this comes manifold benefits:

Children who grow-up riding their bikes regularly and developing strong bike handling skills will be better able (and possibly more likely) to transition into citizens who will use a bike as a transportation alternative to automobiles. As well the experience and bike handling skills honed by using the bike park will contribute to developing overall safer cyclists.
Use of the bike park can help any adult that may be interested in using a bike for alternate (to automobile) transportation but are not confident in their bike handling skill to develop it.
With use of the bike park comes the benefits from physical fitness, including from additional exercise for the many who will travel by bicycle to and from the bike park.
The bike park will present an opportunity for community social interaction: children will be able to make new friends and play with existing friends face-to-face; Parents minding the children and other adults will be presented more opportunities to socialize with their peers and partake in a new shared activity with their child;

We also feel strongly that this bike park should be built because it is an exceptional recreational development opportunity for the municipality that should not be missed because:

the municipality already owns this otherwise under used section of park land;
its' location presents ideal bicycling transportation access because of its' close proximity to the E&N Rail Trail as well as connecting to the Galloping Goose via the trail on the park's north side berm beside the highway.
being near the redeveloped playground makes the park, overall, a more attractive recreation destination for families. As well it is an excellent location due to being near View Royal Elementary and in an area of relative high density of homes with children.

Sincerely,

Ron Steer Songsee Unjit Jead Steer

250 Plowright Road. Victoria BC, V9B 1P3