Bike racks near Cockburn Central Station have been yarnbombed to ‘spark joy’ at Signal Terrace park and promote WA’s first Bike Month in November.
While the displays of knitting add colour and heighten the bike racks’ visibility, the yarnbombing efforts encourage more people to ride their bike for short trips.
The vibrant project was the brainchild of Cockburn Bicycle User Group (CoBUG) member Jillian Woolmer, who is also the City of Cockburn’s TravelSmart Officer.
The Signal Terrace project involved bike racks in the shape of full-sized bicycles so CoBUG member Julie Hock enlisted the help of residents at Regis Port Coogee Aged Care, which has a regular knitting circle.
Mrs Hock, also a Regis volunteer, presented the idea of yarnbombing to the group who loved the idea.
So far, one bike rack cover has been completed with another underway.
The project allows participants a wider connection to the local community and fosters a great team-building activity that is on-trend and environmentally friendly.
Mrs Hock and Mrs Woolmer spent a total of 12 hours hand-stitching the design onto the bike rack which CoBUG riders have since reported is being photographed and used more often.
Cycling participation rates reveal 35.5 per cent of Cockburn residents rode a bike in the past year, according to the phone survey conducted in May for the National Cycling Participation Survey 2019.
“Around a third of all Cockburnians have ridden a bike in the past year and 90 per cent have done so at some time in their lives,” Mrs Woolmer said.
“The aim of the Challenge in November is to encourage more people to take up cycling on a regular basis – the more you ride the more chances you have to win prizes.”
The yarnbombing was completed with the City’s permission and anyone interested in taking part, can email the
City or join the Facebook
group.
People can also
register for the WA Bike Month Challenge.
Thanks to the following Regis residents for their yarnbombing efforts:
James Phillip (Pip) Collier
Audrey Williamson
Joy Bennett
Domenica Palatore
Josie Calabrese
Patricia Smedley
Concetta Spinelli
Flora Komala
Helen Meuwissen