IT’S time to get pedalling at Swan Hill’s brand new pedal park.
VicHealth chief executive officer Sandro Demaio joined Swan Hill Rural City Council (SHRCC) councillor Bill Moar, Swan Hill District Health (SHDH) representatives, school students and teachers to officially launch the pedal park last Friday.
“It’s very exciting to be working with the council to officially open the new park,” Mr Demaio told The Guardian.
“To have a park where kids can get outside, get some physical activity, fresh air and learn some of the road rules is just fantastic.”
Located at George Lay Park, on the corner of Murlong and Pye streets, the pedal park initiative was developed in partnership between SHRCC and SHDH.
SHDH Health Promotion officer Matt Toohey said the pedal park was an idea developed in response to VicHealth’s Walk to School program during the month of October.
“Every October, VicHealth’s walk to school program encourages primary school kids to walk, ride or scoot to and from school,” he said.
“The pedal park was initiated as a sustainable way to promote walk to school principals.”
Cr Moar said the pedal park was set up as a “scaled down version of a road” with some key inclusions.
“It’s got stop signs, give-way signs, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings, all the things you would find on a road,” he said.
Mr Demaio added the pedal park was about “stimulating the road environment” to allow school children to learn road rules before venturing onto real roads.
“For parents, some of the major barriers to allowing their kids to walk to school is a fear of their kids not understanding road rules or not being safe on the roads,” Mr Demaio said.
“To have a controlled environment where they can practice is a win for parents, a win for kids and also a win for the Victorian public because it’s keeping kids healthy and safe.
“It’s all about getting people active and parents becoming comfortable with kids taking active transport.”
The pedal park has been established at George Lay Park due to the parks close proximity to primary schools, with the aim of encouraging children to be active all year round, not just for the month of October.
The park was developed thanks to state government VicHealth funding.
