The City of Boroondara has created a free interactive recreational cycling map to help cyclists navigate the City’s shared bike paths.
Available via the Avenza PDF maps app on iPhones and iPads, the Boroondara Recreational Cycling Map plots the four major shared paths that traverse the City – the Outer Circle/Anniversary Trail, Gardiners Creek Trail, Yarra Trail and Koonung Creek Trail.
Mayor of Boroondara, Councillor Jack Wegman, said that the GPS-enabled map has been designed with cyclists in mind and would help them navigate the City’s shared paths with ease.
“A network of popular shared trails weaves its way through Boroondara and beyond, and the map gives cyclists an opportunity to pinpoint their precise location while on the move,” Cr Wegman said.
“The custom-made Boroondara Recreational Cycling Map will help cyclists of all descriptions familiarise themselves with local shared paths, which can lead to exciting adventures throughout wider Melbourne.”
In addition to the information about the shared trails, the map also provides the location of important amenities, such as water fountains, public toilets, libraries and recreation centres. Other features include pan and zoom functions, and riders can also find points of interest using the search feature. The map is available offline, so there is no need for an Internet connection while using it.
The total cost of developing the map app was $13,000, with the main expense being the mapping and map design. These maps are also being used on signage along the trails as an additional navigation tool for cyclists. The app and its design cost $3000 and the only ongoing cost is any future updates that may be required.
According to Boroondara’s Sustainable Transport Officer Chris Hui, one of the added benefits of the projects is that the maps can be adapted easily and inexpensively for other uses.
“We are looking at doing a walking map down the track,” he said. “Because we already have the bare bones of the map completed, adding more information to it or customising it for other uses is relatively simple. The same map design can also be used for traditional paper maps, for example.”
For those who have Android smart phones or tablets, or want to access the map on a PC or laptop, it can also be downloaded from Council’s website.
The PDF map becomes GPS-enabled via the free Avenza PDF maps app, which is only available on iPhones and iPads. Avenza is working on an Android version, which is expected to be released this year.
The City of Boroondara is the first council in Victoria to have mapped its bike paths using the advanced Avenza PDF mapping technology
