*** Lake Cowichan Considers BMX Track ***

Lake Cowichan, BC Canada -- 09/29/2010


Photo - Alex Sawatzky, 6, Andrew Riley (uncle), and Dylan Sawatzky,
3, hang out at a BMX track in Qualicum Beach this summer. Andrew
has recently returned to BMX after 20 years away from the sport, after
having competed at the world class level across Canada, England and
the United States.

The Town of Lake Cowichan could have a BMX bicycling track in the
future if the public is able to prove there’s enough of an interest in it.

The Town of Lake Cowichan is inviting the public to attend their
October 5th 2010 Parks and Recreation meeting, which begins
at 5 p.m., to discuss the construction of a BMX track.

This council decision was made in response to a letter, written by local
mom Amanda Sawatzky, who has seen her own two children express
interest in a BMX track.

“There are numerous youth in this town that ride BMX, either for fun,
or for sport. On any given night you can go up to the skateboard park
behind the arena and see between four and 10 young people riding their
bikes on the concrete skateboard area,” she wrote, in a letter to council.

Sawatzky notes that both her six-year-old and her three-year-old sons
have both started BMX racing, and have traveled to tracks in some other
areas of Vancouver Island.

With a similar such track in Lake Cowichan,
she argues, youth will benefit in a multitude of ways.

“Not only does it allow for building self-esteem, positive relationships,
healthy lifestyles and physical exercise, it keeps our youth off the street,”
Sawatzky’s letter reads. “Think how great this could be if there was an
appropriate track for these kids to ride on, opening the skateboard park
back up for skateboarders, and then how many more youth would be off
the street. As for future generations, like my children who would ride, it
will encourage them and their peer groups to do the same.”

“If we can build it, they will come,”
councillor Bob Day said during the September 14 council meeting.

Citing the large-scale upgrades council is proposing for the Centennial
Park area, mayor Ross Forrest said during the meeting that now is a
good time to start figuring out what should be involved in the project.

“Our Centennial project isn’t going to happen in the next six months,
so if they clean it up we can gauge the interest in it,” he said, addressing
one idea; that volunteers help construct the BMX track.

The first step of gauging the public’s interest will take place during the
October 05th, 2010 Parks and Recreation Meeting, held at council
chambers on South Shore Road, beginning at 5 p.m.

ACC - http://www.town.lakecowichan.bc.ca