ETHEKWINI Municipality, in partnership with the Kargo PRO Cycling Team and the City’s Durban Green Corridor, yesterday 11 February 2016, launched the GO!Durban Cycle Academy.
The GO!Durban Cycle Academy aims to provide an environment for local cycling training by bringing young people together to meet, play and engage with each other around the sport of cycling whether recreationally or for sport.
The Durban Green Corridor has identified locations that have potential as further Academy sites. Seven have been confirmed and include KwaMashu, KwaDabeka, Cornubia, South Beach, Glenwood, Umlazi and Amanzimtoti.
The first site for the Academy is being developed at the Inanda Adventure Park. At the launch a group of young cyclists from Inanda as well as the 2016 Kargo PRO Cycling Team including its riders, coaches, mentors and managers, were introduced.
The programme planned for Academy members will include requisite athletic training while other skills are taught including mechanical and technical training. The recruits will be required to sign a pledge to commit to the programme, to adhere to a code of conduct and will be expected to set a good example for their peers.
Training will take place after school with the young athletes required to complete their homework at the Academy site. They will also have to ensure their equipment and cycling kit is clean and maintained at all times.
In partnering with the Durban Green Corridor, GO!Durban is able to reach local communities throughout eThekwini in a practical and sustainable way to promote recreational and commuter cycling for a healthy lifestyle and to reduce the transport related carbon footprint of the City.
The Durban Green Corridor is mandated to develop outdoor adventure sports and related tourism through natural open spaces in order to promote local economic development and job creation in neighbouring communities. As such it was natural for them to develop cycle parks to support the development programme of the Academy as well as provide safe spaces for residents to learn how to ride.
The GO!Durban Cycle Academy is the foundation of a robust cycling culture in eThekwini as the City forges ahead with its planned GO!Durban Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network. Intrinsically linked to this is the provision of walkways, pedestrian bridges and cycling lanes to provide access to public transport but also serve as an alternative form of transport.
