A Windsor city councillor is asking administration to take a "pause" on plans to dismantle a mountain bike park in the east end.
As AM800 news reported Monday morning, a group of cyclists built the park with shovels and buckets which includes paths and jumps about ten years ago near the Little River Rd. entrance to the Ganatchio Trail.
The group now says the city wants to flatten it.
Ward 7 Councillor Irek Kusmierczyk says it is great to see a grassroots effort with the park, but it also has to be balanced with safety and protecting the natural area.
He wants to see the city's parks dept. work with the off-road cycling group to see what can be done.
He posted the issue on his own Facebook page and residents responded loud and clear.
"I asked residents and I said what's your take on this, what is your position and overwhelming the response has been to keep that park, off-road cycling infrastructure there."
He points out the sport is growing world-wide and the issue needs to be taken seriously.
"The primary issue is obviously safety," he says. "But a secondary issue that we take very seriously is that we want to make sure that we protect the natural heritage of Little River corridor park and that is an absolute serious and valid concern as well."
AM800 file photo
He will visit the area Monday afternoon to talk to the off-road cycling community and to listen to their concerns.
Kusmierczyk says the bike jumps and paths were scheduled to be flattened in the next couple of weeks.
--With files from AM800's Gord Bacon