A PLEA for a $60,000 car park for mountain bikers has been made to Wodonga Council.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Representatives from the Albury Wodonga Mountain Bikers formally sought the money during a meeting on Monday morning ahead of the council's budget being finalised next week.
The group wants a dirt car park at its Hunchback Mountain Bike Park sealed and the speed limit reduced on the adjacent Felltimber Creek Road.
Mountain Bikers president Michael Ross said having safety barriers and reducing the 100km/h speed limit would particularly aid youngsters.
"We would like it somewhere between 60 and 70km/h just for safety, for people moving through the area," Mr Ross said.
"You can have up to 20 to 25 cars here on a Saturday morning and there's just not enough room."
Mr Ross said the $60,000 cost was based on feedback from Wodonga Council's infrastructure staff.
The car park upgrade is also seen as an aid to increasing tourists to the park which features a variety of tracks with a descent trail to be formally unveiled in October.
"The sport is growing massively and here we do really have the opportunity to have a piece of that pie," mountain bikers committee member Shane Vanderwerf told councillors.
Mr Ross told The Border Mail he would like the Wodonga park to be seen as a gateway to mountain bike havens at Beechworth, Mount Beauty, Bright and Falls Creek.
"With the help of the council and possibly state and federal funding we would like to put the Wodonga region on the map as far as mountain biking goes," he said.
Wodonga's Men's Shed also put a personal funding submission to the council with committee man Greg McGuire seeking $10,000, half the cost of a security system planned for its new centre at Jamieson Court.
The group plans to move from its original Emerald Avenue base by the end of 2017.
Its new home is estimated to cost up to $250,000 with Men's Shed members having raised $70,000 and seeking more through grants and fundraising ideas such as a $100 'buy a brick' campaign.
Mr McGuire said the money for security would include a fence around the new location.
The expanded site will allow activities beyond woodwork to be offered and help membership rise from 65 to 100.
