by Shane Sody

A major upgrade is on the way for the popular “City Dirt” bike tracks in Park 20 of your Adelaide Park Lands.

It's been more than 40 years since the first dirt bike track was built in Blue Gum Park / Kurangga (Park 20).

In 2003, the Council built three new tracks: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

Since 2009, a volunteer group, "City Dirt Crew" has worked with Council permission to improve and maintain a wider range of tracks there, introducing the “pump” track in 2011 .

The “City Dirt Crew” collaborates with the Council on maintenance, resource management, and discussion of any proposed changes.

Together, they've developed what's called the "City Dirt Master Plan" and it's now at the stage where new design elements are being considered.

A recent meeting of Kadaltilla / Park Lands Authority was presented with three options, with price tags between $2.15 million and $3.9 million.

If approved, the works would take up to two years to complete, subject to obtaining funding from both the City Council and a State Government Open Space grant program.

Option 2 was recommended by City Council administration. However, no formal decision has been taken. It's expected public consultation will be undertaken later this year, before any work would commence in the 2024-25 financial year.

This is what the Kadaltilla / Park Lands Authority agenda describes as the "Key Moves" in the recommended "Option 2":

• Improve linkage between Beginner and Pump Tracks

  • Create connection between tracks, with tunnels and/or bridges that incorporate jumps and improve user skill set

• Reconfigure Intermediate Track

  • Add 'step-up' ramp course within south zone to close skills gap between beginner and intermediate users

  • Incorporate 'timber slat' boarding to inclines of jumps, to reduce on-going maintenance

• Extend Beginner Track to create optional longer loop to the southern end with a 'skills test' zone, to improve the 'skill set' of younger riders

• Improve access and legibility within and around the site using a hierarchy a materials and path widths for the new path network

  • Ensure the design meets DDA compliance and CoA maintenance requirements

  • Allow for maintenance vehicles access throughout 'central spine' with a minimum width of 3m

• Create central Vantage Point with 360 degree views, new insitu seating, renewed seating pods, litter bin, drinking fountain and improved viewer amenity

• Rationalise activity nodes and create recreation hubs • Enlarge, reconfigure and seal existing Pump Track

• Enhance picnic, barbecue and seating areas

• Protect all trees and formalise delineation between mulch areas, tree roots and path interface

• Provide turfed embankment near Pump Track for natural viewing area

• Mitigation of local flooding issues by incorporating natural swales and soakage trenches, with rocks and native plantings

• Delineation of paths using native plantings and rocks where appropriate .