Wheels will soon be turning at Mid Canterbury’s new bike skills park, which has been gifted $100,000 from Lottery Community Facilities.

Construction of the Tarbotton RideSmart Park is due to begin at the Ashburton Domain in late March and Ashburton Mayor Liz McMillan said the Lottery funding was well-timed and much appreciated.

“We’ve just heard this week that the application by the Mid Canterbury Community Wellbeing and Safety Enhancement Trust for $100,000 was successful and that is a tremendous boost.

“The trust has been working in the background to secure funding and sponsors while Tarbotton Land & Civil is making a big donation of machinery and labour to bring the bike skills park to life.

“We’re thrilled that there’s such energy and support for this project, and that it will be fully funded by the community.”

Tarbotton RideSmart Park will be built in the domain, near the children’s playground. The existing asphalt pump track will be removed and a new, bigger track built in its place.

The park will feature a network of roads, with stop and give way signs; plus there’ll be traffic lights, a railway crossing and a roundabout – all of which cyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians encounter when moving around Ashburton and other urban centres.

It is designed to teach road safety skills to children, young people and adults as they learn how to ride a bike or scooter and to be a destination for families and district visitors.

Mayor Liz said the Lion Foundation, Mid and South Canterbury Community Trust, Sport Canterbury and local service clubs had also provided funding for the project.

“There are still sponsorship opportunities for local businesses, groups or people who want to contribute, and this means we can finish the park to a high standard that will serve the community well for years.”

Supporters will be acknowledged on a project sign to be erected at the park.

Want to contribute? See the sponsorship booklet here.