Unless there is a significant injection of funding for bicycle infrastructure, this negative trend is set to continue. The simple facts surrounding cycling are plain: people who ride bikes enjoy increased health, particularly cardiovascular and weight loss, enormous financial savings compared to driving a car, and increased convenience compared to walking and public transport. So why aren't more people doing it?

Riding a bike was once something that young and old would enjoy, for transport and recreation alike, but many now think of it as a risky lifestyle choice. Countless surveys have shown that the main thing stopping more people from riding bikes is the perception it is unsafe. Simply put, the single best way to make cycling safer is to build appropriate infrastructure. Physically separated lanes and off-road paths are the gold standard, but in many situations in Ballarat an appropriately wide bike lane with stencils and signage would probably be fine. This kind of infrastructure is relatively inexpensive, but the bang for buck is clear: several studies have shown how safer streets lead to increased revenues for small businesses.

As business districts become easier to navigate, it leads to increased foot traffic. Also, bike riders themselves spend less on transportation and thus have more money to spend on other goods and services. There are also tangible benefits for non-cyclists: separating bicycle infrastructure can potentially mean quicker travel times for cars and buses. And naturally, every person riding a bike to the shops represents a free car park. 

We recently learned about the proposal to construct a water slide at the aquatic centre. If the city of Ballarat is serious about spending a million dollars on something fun for young people to use consider a well connected, well built network of bicycle routes. Cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam (or even Melbourne) didn't become liveable, cycling-friendly cities without significant investment and serious leadership on this issue. I call on current and future councillors to display this leadership,avoid constructing needless follies and build things to have tangible benefits for our city.

Matt Briody, Golden Point

Regarding the front page headline on Saturday, August 27, 2016. Maybe we could take a step prior to these bullies starting school and ask, "Are we raising bullies? How can families prevent this?" Perhaps it could be nipped in the bud before it even got to school level.

 Patricia Glenane, Ballarat

When l read that the Ballarat City Council is proposing to make a temporary beach at Lake Wendouree at a cost of $100,000 l wondered if it was a joke?

Apparently a long time ago in our past, when people actually went swimming in the lake. Motor vehicles were very few then, and local people didn't have the opportunity to go to a real beach. Today, you can drive to the beach in around an hour.

Nowadays, only birds, dogs and water rats swim in the lake. There is no point having a beach if you can't go swimming in a lake where it is banned. This money would be better spent on issues such a fixing pot holes, cleaning our gutters and creeks, helping the homeless and needy, to name a few; instead of temporary ludicrous ideas and overseas junkets.

Ratepayers expect their money to be spent wisely. Maybe all the truckloads of sand could be dumped in the town hall, and the councillors could bury their heads in it. 

Graham Pearce, Invermay Park