Taranaki Cycle Park Pump Track

New Cycle Track is Pumping!

The trustees of the Taranaki Cycle Park in New Plymouth didn’t expect their new pump track would be so popular. The Bell Block park includes a velodrome, road circuit, skills course, cyclocross track and a soft-fall area for beginners. But it’s the new pump track that has everyone excited.

“Our old pumice pump track was well-used but required a lot of maintenance. We decided to respond to the public’s call for a better pump track,” Graham Walker, Trustee, said.

The Trust employed Velosolutions to build a robust asphalt track, and local businesses helped out with concreting and hydroseeding turf.

"We're all volunteers, trying to do something for the general public. The park is open to everybody, all the time, and there's no charge to use it. So, grants were our only option for funding the new pump track,” Graham said. 

A grant of $30,000 from Toi Foundation contributed to the project cost. “They tipped the balance for us, and we’re very thankful to Toi Foundation for that.”

The new pump track has created more awareness of what’s on offer at the cycle park.

“We’ve basically tripled the traffic through the gate,” said Pamela Coe, Trust administrator. “So, that’s the project’s effect; it encourages people to come along and see what else is on offer.” 

“We’ve met people from all over who say they needed to take the family out and had heard about the cycle park. So, it’s becoming a tourist attraction too,” said Graham. “The whole thing about the cycle park is to get people outside. It's family friendly and little kids, big kids and adults can watch each other and enjoy the outdoors together.”