A new cycling facility welcomed dozens of riders as Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour De 4 passed through the village of Twechar in East Dunbartonshire.
The £240,000 state-of-the-art pump track, near the Healthy Living & Enterprise Centre, is now open and is designed to meet the needs of both experienced and novice riders and provide a resource that can be enjoyed by people of all ages on BMX bikes, mountain bikes, skateboards and scooters.
A free fun day was held at the new facility to coincide with Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour De 4 charity cycling event which passed through Twechar. Riders taking part in the gruelling 56-mile Red Ride route stopped at the Twechar Healthy Living and Enterprise Centre for a break and some refreshments.
Founded by Sir Chris Hoy following his Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, Tour de 4 brings together people affected by cancer to challenge perceptions, inspire hope and raise vital funds for cancer charities across the UK.
Twechar resident Tracy McPherson has been the driving force in the community campaigning for the pump track along with her son Riley and his cousin Marcus in a bid to combat boredom in young people living in small, isolated communities.
She said: “I’ve seen first-hand in my role as an Intensive Care Unit nurse what can happen when young people feel trapped by boredom in small, isolated communities and I didn’t want that for my children or any kids in Twechar.
“The pump track is a great addition to the community by the council and it’s a fantastic facility right on our doorstep.
“I don’t want anyone to be excluded from using it, so we’ve already managed to secure 16 BMX bikes from Scottish Cycling’s Rock Up and Ride, and money from Game On - funded by Summer of Sport for safety equipment. These will be available for hire for a small fee from the Twechar Healthy Living & Enterprise Centre for those who need it.
“We have also secured funding to train people as certified coaches and we’re getting a bike repair station – paid for by the community through a raffle - installed near to the track as well.”
The pump track has a circuit of ramps and turns designed to be ridden by riders “pumping” or generating momentum by body movements, instead of pedalling or pushing.
There is a main fast, free-flowing track which has been designed with steep berms and rolling features to maintain speed without pedalling and the advanced jump line which has progressively larger jumps for big air and skill progression.
For smaller children and beginners there is a dedicated separate loop where they can learn to ride safely away from the fast lanes.
The track, funded by EDC Capital Funding, the Scottish Government Play Fund and developer contributions, also has elevated areas where people can rest, socialise or simply observe the other riders.
The creation of the facility and the final design were shaped by the people of Twechar via a number of consultation events delivered by Green Action Trust (GAT).
Councillor Pamela Marshall – Vice Convener of the Council’s Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee - officially opened the impressive new track along with local children who campaigned for the track and had the chance to vote for the winning design.
She said: “The community was at the heart of the decision-making process for this project and were key in choosing the final design.
“It appears they chose well as this fantastic facility gives local children and young people a safe and exciting place to ride, develop their skills and spend time outside.
“It was great that we were joined by local children and community members who have done so much to make this pump track a reality so they could enjoy the fabulous end result for themselves.
“I’m delighted to see the hard work and investment that has gone into this has created such an excellent resource for Twechar and I’m sure it will be well-used for many years to come.”