Orange City Council's new bicycle education course at Moulder Park is 'helping kids become better cyclists and helping keep everyone safer', by providing a much-needed, formal area for developing riders to learn.
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That's the word of Orange's Kristy Crump, who's seeing the benefits not just as a mother but also as Orange Cycle Club's junior development coordinator.
Two of Moulder Park's old netball courts have been transformed into a training ground complete with two-lane and one-way tracks, a roundabout, rough surface, pedestrian crossing, give way and stop signs to help with development and road safety as well.
It provides a space where they can learn to ride and develop their skills without being on the road.
- Orange Cycle Club junior development coordinator Kristy Crump
The track was painted in December and replica traffic signs were installed along the track this month.
"It's a really great resource, Council has done a really great job with it," Mrs Crump said.
"It's an area where a lot of people use when they're kids are coming off training wheels anyway and it provides a space where they can learn to ride and develop their skills without being on the road. It's a big space too, without dogs or runners or anything like that.
"It's really useful and we use it as a tool with the club as well. We get kids weaving around in there but we also discuss the road rules and everything that comes with that.
"It's all helping kids become better cyclists and helping keep everyone safer, which is really important."
Orange mayor Reg Kidd echoed Mrs Crump's sentiments, also adding he's pleased to see an area that's gone unused formally in recent years revitalised.
"This is a great way to revive the space, which has sat largely unused since the netball courts were opened at Orange PCYC in 2009," Cr Kidd explained.
"I'm pleased there is now a formal learn-to-ride area, which will be of great benefit to the children of Orange, where they can learn to ride their bikes safely."
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