The latest craze in bike tracks is about to be constructed in Tolland in what police say will go a long way towards reducing crime.
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Wagga’s first pump track at Emblen Park on Bruce Street, is set to be open to the public in four weeks.
“Probably the best way to explain it is it’s a cross between a skate-park and a BMX track,” Wagga City Council Parks and Recreation Assets Officer Rob Owers said.
The pump track project has been praised by Wagga Police as a positive way to reduce crime following feedback from young people that they’re bored.
“We do have big problems with them now congregating in public areas like shopping centres and this is a facility that’s purposely built. It’ll keep them out of trouble, hopefully,” Inspector Robertson said.
The pump track will cost $80,000 which the Department of Family and Community Services will cover $50,000, and Wagga City Council paying $30,000.
“It gives a positive outlet for young people to come together in a community space,” said Manager of Housing Services, Murrumbidgee for the Department of Family and Community Services Michael Whiteside.
The 900-cubic-metres of dirt currently in mounds on the site will be transformed to a continuous loop of dirt berms (raised flat strips of land) and rollers (smooth dirt mounds) that can be ridden with only a few peddle pumps, hence the name of the track.
“It’s going to be shaped up over the next two weeks and compacted, and then we’ll have a 200-millimetre layer of road base over the top which will be covered by a smooth 40-millimetre layer of asphalt and concrete.”
“Like the good roads in the new subdivisions...it will be nice and smooth and it should be pretty solid so hopefully she’ll be there for a long time,” Mr Owers said.
The development will be landscaped with two picnic settings and four security solar lights similar to the lights around Lake Albert.
The track has been designed by Dirt Art which built Australia’s biggest pump track in Geelong and can be used by scooters, skateboards and mountain bikes.
“It’s designed so you can roll over it without doing the jumps, so little kids can safely do it and then also the big kids they can hit it harder and get some air,” Mr Owers said.
The pump track is due for completion by mid October.
