Parks Commission Walks Through Proposed Pump Track SiteBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
11:10AM / Wednesday, December 09, 2020 | |
 Allison McGee, center, explains the plans for a bike skills park to the Parks Commission on a wet Saturday at Springside Park. |
The bike 'pump' track would be constructed by raising funds.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Parks Commission took a stroll through Springside Park on Saturday to review the proposed location of a bike skills park.
Alison McGee, president of the Berkshire Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association and program lead for the Little Bellas Berkshire Program, pitched the project to the commission last month.
Garrett Pulley of the Berkshire Mountain Bike Training Series and Kevin Delaney of the Shire Shredders also worked on this project.
The commission approved the concept subject to conducting a walkthrough.
The desired location for the park is northeast of the north playground near Reid Middle School. The park would include a "pump track," which is a continuous loop of contoured and groomed riding surfaces called rollers and berms, and other features.
The purpose of this track is to provide more outdoor recreation in the city and a place where those who enjoy off-road bicycling can "play."
Owner of Powder Horn Trail Co. Will Conroy constructed the plans for the park and attended the meeting briefly.
At the walkthrough, McGee outlined material options for the pump track. A full dirt pump track would cost around $100,000 and a paved pump track would cost around $200,000.
She explained that even though a paved track would cost more, it would require much less maintenance. She also noted that Powder Horn specializes in "finish work," which includes preserving the natural surroundings of a project.
The project will be paid for by fundraising independent of the city or park, but McGee said they hope local investment group Mill Town Capital will supplement anything they can't raise.
These plans are flexible, she said, such as the actual location of the pump track.
Chairman Anthony DeMartino brought up the conflict of getting running water to the site, saying a pipe would likely have to be run to the site from North Street and could be costly.
The Parks Commission is in support of the plans for the park, but have a few concerns such as maintenance, liability, and getting water access to the site.
These questions will be addressed in the next Parks Commission meeting on Dec. 15.
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