Warfield’s new outdoor track is dirt cheap compared to the cost of most recreational venues.
With an $18,100 budget, most of it raised through Columbia Basin Trust, DIG Trail Design and Kootenay Savings Credit Union, the village’s new Beaver Bend pump track will be tamped into place and ready to use by month end.
A pump track is a small looping trail system of dirt berms and “rollers,” which are smooth dirt mounds designed for bicycling without the rider pedalling. The name comes from the pumping motion used by the cyclist’s upper and lower body as they ride around the track. The purpose of the track is to use the pumping motion to maintain speed around the track without pedalling.
A new bicycle pathway, free for all to use, came up during council’s first face-to-face gathering with pre-teens and teenagers.
“Beginning in 2015 we held a youth forum night where the youth identified the key priorities that they would like to see in the village,” explained Warfield Coun. Diane Langman. “The pump track was identified as one of these things.”
Since then, council’s main focus has been projects that can’t be seen and aren’t so fun-sounding, such as storm and sewer repairs. But that doesn’t mean the municipality wasn’t working behind the scenes for a year, pursuing external funding avenues.
“By applying for grants, we are able to do some “fun” things in our community for our youth,” Langman added. “The main focus in regards to recreation is to give the youth a place to go outdoors…not everyone can go up to Rossland to use their biking track, and if we have one in Warfield, we can encourage our kids to get out there and ride in their own backyard and have fun outdoors.”
Loads of a sand, clay and loam mixture were trucked into the Beaver Bend gully just off Forrest Drive, in preparation for the Rossland company DIG (Design Innovate Grow) to construct a 30-x-80-foot pump track.
“We want to provide as many outlets as we can,” Langman said. “And thank to the grants we successfully applied for and received, we are able to do just that.”
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