Pump track for Boorowa

A pump track is basically a track for use by any wheeled sport - bikes, skateboards, roller blades etc. It consists of a series of rollers, bermes and banked turns and is designed to be ridden by riders "pumping" - generating momentum by up and down body movements. They are generally constructed from concrete or asphalt.

It was about two years ago when Max became interested in having a pump track for the Boorowa community.

Since then he and his mother have spent most school holidays investigating tracks across Australia, gathering information to take to Council and to support grant applications to make the project a reality.

In the latest round of talks last Thursday, Max and Theresa met Deputy Mayor, Alison Foreman. As a result Max and Theresa now have a contact in planning, and it's likely the pump track will be identified in future strategic planning for community infrastructure. The next steps are to look at the environmental impacts and develop a feasibility study.

In the last school holidays they also met with Hilltops Council Mayor Margaret Roles and General Manager, Anothony O'Reilly, putting their proposal forward on behalf of the Boorowa community.

In his presentation to Council, Max showed the Mayor and General Manager the research he has been doing for the past couple of years. Explaining to them exactly what a pump track is, how to use it, and how it can benefit the entire town as well as the many passing travellers Boorowa receives.

Theresa said the nearest tracks to Boorowa are over an hour away and if the Boorowa track is developed properly, it has the potential to draw competitions in various wheeled sports, adding to the tourism economy of the town.

With support letters from FACT BMX Club Belconnen, members of the Boorowa community, Bronwyn Fickel and Justin Fleming, along with the ongoing assistance from Hilltops Youth Action Group Leader, Anna, Max has been given the green light to start securing grants.

"It looks like we will be looking at a staged development for the project, with the first stage being construction of an intermediate to advanced track. Ideally it would be good to have three tracks, one for beginners, intermediates and advanced riders but that will take time.

"It is a slow process now to try and find grants but this project has only begun."

The proposed site for the Boorowa pump track will be Pudman Street, between the fire station and the skate park, (for those not familiar with Boorowa the land is in front of the cricket nets).