Residents want mountain bike course open post-Olympics

The 2012 London Olympic Games mountain bike course may stay open to the public in Hadleigh Castle Country Park in Essex if local residents have their way. In a recent survey by the Essex County Council, nine of 10 residents think cycling is important for planned post-Olympic park development according to The Enquirer.

More than 60 percent of respondents all ready walk and ride at the venue. The survey included residents who live near the course and spectators who attended the Olympic Test Event at the end of July.

"As we had hoped, the people of Essex are keen to maintain the mountain bike course and open the venue up to the wider pubic for a number of different uses. We are committed to making the most of the opportunity of hosting the London 2012 mountain bike events to create a legacy for not just Hadleigh but for Essex," said Councillor Stephen Castle, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education and the 2012 Games to The Enquirer.

A series of workshops, open to interested residents, will study in further detail the priorities for the site after the Olympic Games. A proposal is expected to be finalized next spring.

The London Olympic Games will happen in August, 2012.