Booyeembara Park in Fremantle is set to get a mountain bike trail.

BOOYEEMBARA PARK is a step closer to getting a mountain bike trail with Fremantle council committee approving a concept plan on Wednesday.

The proposed $1.1 million project includes 1.5km of bike trails, and a pump track stretching from Royal Fremantle golf club to Steven Street in White Gum Valley.

In a report to council, parks and wildlife manager Ryan Abbott said the low-maintenance trails wouldn’t impact other park users or the flora and wildlife.

However community consultation revealed that some nearby residents were concerned about trail users parking on Steven Street. 

Fremantle councillor and White Gum Valley resident Jennifer Archibald says the mountain bike course would cater for all skills levels with beginners using the pump track and more advanced riders hitting the trails.

“The only place to do mountain bike riding is if you travel to the Perth hills and that can be a weekend round trip,” she said.

“Having a smaller one at Boo Park, means families can enjoy a new sense of adventure without travelling far.”

Community consultation indicated that most locals support the proposed bike trail, but some were concerned about disturbing asbestos that had been illegally dumped in the area for years.

“The new development will actually protect people from that – it is located up high and will work as sealing off any unstable ground and also provide fantastic opportunity for healthy fun,” Ms Archibald says.

Mr Abbott’s report said the city would seek external grant funding and officers would prepare a project proposal to be considered in future annual budgets.

by STACEY HARDING