Frequently Asked Questions

The City is aware that there is information circulating about the possibility of criterium racing track at George Burnett Park, which was a proposal put forward by a cycling club.

The City’s Cycling Needs Assessment is not specifically considering a criterium track at George Burnett Park. Instead, the purpose is to identify gaps in the provision of cycling facilities and infrastructure at George Burnett Park and investigate what is needed by the community. When completing the survey, respondents can make suggestions on the types of cycling facilities and infrastructure they would most like to see at George Burnett Park.

All feedback will be considered by the City and will be subject to relevant assessment criteria, such as community and stakeholder need, cost/benefit analysis, compatibility to the site, Council approval and the ability of the City to source the required funding, etc. Once the needs assessment is completed, there will be a range of recommendations that can be considered by the City in the future. This is an important strategic project to help provide future direction for George Burnett Park.

Please note, the information circulating in the community also makes reference to a BMX track, whereas the City is planning to install a pump track at George Burnett Park, subject to funding. Pump tracks and BMX tracks have significant differences – see these FAQs for further information on what is a pump track, what is a BMX track and what is a criterium track.

A Cycling Needs Assessment (needs assessment) identifies gaps in the provision of cycling facilities and infrastructure (in this case at George Burnett Park) and investigates what is needed by the community. Once the needs assessment is completed, there will be a range of recommendations that can be considered by the City in the future.

George Burnett Park has previously been identified as a potential location for cycling facilities and infrastructure as it is a large park capable of accommodating many recreational activities. 

The City’s Joint Bike Plan 2018 (PDF, 33.8 MB), in collaboration with the Town of Victoria Park, identifies cycling initiatives to include a skills track and pump track at George Burnett Park.

Additionally, in 2018/19 the City carried out research to inform the development of a draft masterplan for the George Burnett Recreation Precinct, which indicated a potential need for a proposed future BMX or pump track on the site near the skate park. 

These projects highlighted the need for further investigation into the overall provision of cycling facilities and infrastructure at George Burnett Park, which will be completed through this needs assessment, carried out by sport, leisure and recreation consultancy, Otium Planning Group.

A pump track at George Burnett Park has been recommended a number of times over the last few years.

At the 23 November 2021 Ordinary Council Meeting, Council considered an item proposing a BMX or pump track at George Burnett Park, Karawara. At that meeting it was resolved that Council:

1. Receives the report on the proposed BMX Track or Pump Track at George Burnett Park in Karawara.
2. Notes the City recommends future consideration of a Pump Track at George Burnett Park (in lieu of a BMX Track) based on the higher cost/benefit that the proposed Pump Track will provide for the community.
3. Request the CEO to investigate external funding opportunities to assist with the development of the proposed Pump Track.
4. Considers an allocation of up to $200,000 for the Pump Track project as part of the City’s draft 2022/23 Budget.

Following this decision by Council, the City is proposing to construct a pump track at George Burnett Park in 2023/24 or 2024/25 (subject to funding), however, this is only one type of cycling infrastructure. We would also like to know from our community and stakeholders what other types of cycling facilities and infrastructure could be offered there.

A pump track is a circuit of rollers (small mounds or bumps in the track), banked turns (berms) and features designed to be ridden completely by riders ‘pumping’ (generating momentum by up and down body movements), rather than pedalling or pushing. Pump tracks were originally designed for BMX and mountain bikes, but they can also be used by skateboards and other wheeled sport equipment and are accessible to wheelchairs. Pump tracks are simple to use and can be used by all ages, skill levels and abilities.

For the purpose of this project, cycling facilities are purpose-built destinations that have multiple components that support people riding bikes, such as end-of-trip facilities with showers, lockers and bike parking, or a pump track with associated seating, drinking fountain, lighting, etc.

Cycling infrastructure can mean any built feature which allows or supports people to ride bikes either for fun, fitness, or as a means of transport. This can include features such as bike racks, bike lockers, bike paths, shared paths, bike repair stations and e-bike charging stations. This kind of infrastructure can be part of a bigger facility, or be stand alone (such as a bike repair station in a park, or the cycle path along the South Perth Foreshore).

The City will also be investigating any potential opportunities to provide office accommodation at George Burnett Leisure Centre for staff and volunteers involved in the provision of community cycling programs and services into the future. This will be looked at as one part of the needs assessment.

The City will be speaking to a wide range of stakeholders, including local residents, park users, local cycling clubs and the peak body Westcycle, sporting clubs and the wider community.

It is planned for a pump track to be constructed at the site in the next two years, subject to funding. No other new cycling facilities or infrastructure are scheduled at George Burnett Park at this time, so the purpose of the cycling needs assessment is to investigate and make recommendations about other potential additional cycling facilities and infrastructure that could be provided into the future. Any other cycling facilities and infrastructure considered at a later time would be subject to community/stakeholder need, cost/benefit analysis, Council approval and the ability of the City to source the required funding.

The focus of the needs assessment is for cycling. However, many cycling infrastructure features such as shared paths and pump tracks can also be used by other wheeled sport equipment user groups, such as skateboards and scooters.

No, there are no plans to remove the skate park.

The feedback received from the community and stakeholders will be analysed by the project team, including sport, leisure and recreation consultancy Otium Planning Group. The final George Burnett Park Cycling Needs Assessment will make recommendations for potential future cycling facilities, informed by community and stakeholder feedback, along with other considerations.

You can complete the survey online here. Alternatively, hard copy surveys are available at the City of South Perth Civic Centre, South Perth and Manning Libraries, and at George Burnett Leisure Centre.

The survey closed at 4pm, Monday 3 July 2023.

• Ask us a question online and we’ll either answer you on the project page, or email you directly.
• Phone the City on 9474 0777 and ask to speak to someone about the George Burnett Park Cycling Needs Assessment.

Information and documents on this page are available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact the City on 9474 0777 or email enquiries@southperth.wa.gov.au for assistance.

A BMX track is designed for competition BMX racing and typically has a number of design features including defined start and finish points, jumps and banked turns (berms), as well as supporting infrastructure such as floodlights and race-calling towers. They are typically designed to accommodate up to eight riders at once and while they can be constructed using a range of materials, the riding surface is often fine gravel, crushed limestone or some other loose surface. BMX tracks can be used by all ages with some riding skill preferred, but are generally not suitable for scooters or skateboards. BMX tracks are normally open to the community when not being used for competitions.

A criterium track is a closed loop, hard surface track designed for road bike racing competitions. The length of the course is between 800m and 2.5km, and a minimum of 7m wide. Criterium tracks may also include other supporting infrastructure such as toilets, showers and clubrooms. Criterium tracks are generally open to use by the community when not being used for competitions.