"A solution of the difficulty which presents itself to the City Council in connection with the prevention of cycle "scorching" down the Sturt street avenue has not yet been arrived at.

Councillors yesterday, with the exception of Cr Shoppee, had many stories to tell of hair-breadth escapes through cyclists travelling at a rapid rate down the pathway, and the opinion was again emphasised that the whole of the Sturt Street gardens should be reserved for the pleasure and comfort of ladies and children and those requiring to rest beneath the shade of the trees.

Cr Brokenshire came forward with a proposal that three V-shaped gutters, a few inches across and in depth, should be cut at equal distances across the path in each block, in order that the track might no longer be available.

Cr Morey thought that something should be done to prevent "those persons who had bicycles running crazy with them;" and Cr Retallack suggested that one of the foot-bridges should be taken up at the end of each block, so that if the wheelmen continued to ride there they would run the risk of breaking their machines, and he might have added, their bones as well."

This 1897 article from the Ballarat Star shows how in their wisdom this previous council removed the offending bike path.

Currently we are being led to believe that all of Ballarat is thrilled to have Sturt Street contorted to install a ridiculous bike path, which will not be used, it will be an expensive white elephant.

Dinah McCance, East Ballarat

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