New Family-Safe Cycling Routes Open Across Oud West Parks

Oud West opened three new family cycling loops this month that keep riders on dedicated paths through Westerpark and along the edges of the Rembrandtpark extension. The routes avoid main roads and use separate lanes installed last spring by the district council.

Interest in outdoor activity has grown in the neighbourhood since early summer, when residents reported spending more time in parks after the long winter months indoors. Parents have asked for options that let children ride without mixing with cars on streets like Kinkerstraat or Bilderdijkstraat.

Routes through named local spots

One loop starts at the Westerpark entrance near the old gasworks buildings and follows a 2.8-kilometre track that circles the pond before returning via the sports fields. A second route runs from the small playground at the south end of the Rembrandtpark extension out to the canal path that meets the Overtoom at the bridge near the former cinema. Both paths carry the blue family-cycle signs posted by the Oud West recreation office in May.

The district recreation office also runs a free Saturday skills session at the Westerpark basketball courts for anyone new to cycling. Sessions run from 10 a.m. to noon and supply helmets and basic bikes for participants under twelve.

Numbers behind the routes

City transport figures released in June show that 28 percent of Oud West households with children under ten now list cycling as their main weekend activity, up from 19 percent two years earlier. Rental bikes at the Westerpark stand cost 4 euros for two hours, with family tandems available for 7 euros. The same stand recorded 1,240 rentals in the first week of July alone.

Residents can check the current surface conditions on the district website before heading out. The loops stay open until the first frost, which local records place around mid-November in recent years.