$250,000 pledge boost for pump track project

Will and WeiWei Thomson of Golden Valley, Lola Auty of Prospect and Fayth Drury of Deloraine look over the $20,000 pump track plans paid for by Meander Valley Council and drawn up by World Trails. Photo by Sharon Webb

Sharon Webb

YOUNG PEOPLE pushing for a pump track in Deloraine were thrilled to hear the Liberal Party will allocate $250,000 to the project.

From the buckets of money swilling around during the April state election campaign, Liberal candidate and Meander Valley councillor Stephanie Cameron said she was happy to make an election pledge for a family-friendly pump track on Alveston Drive.

‘I was impressed with the youth group who first presented this idea to Meander Valley Council 18 months ago and I’m keen to see the pump track happen’, she said.

But Cllr Rodney Synfield, who also attended the announcement, said the Alveston Drive location was not ‘set in concrete’, alluding to an in-council push to locate it at the disused Deloraine racetrack.

‘The pump track was in a list of 10–12 proposals the council put to parties standing for election’, he said.

Supporter Fayth Drury of Deloraine said the pump track would be a facility available for families and young people in the area, especially young people interested in bike riding who could not drive to track locations in Railton, Derby or the recently announced West Tamar track.

Rider Will Thomson of Golden Valley said he’d been biking around the state for a couple of years and aims to compete in the future

‘Lots of kids here like to ride bikes but need a space for practicing and exercise’, he said.
‘There’s a social aspect too. It’s a good place to hang out.’

Deloraine Lions Club secretary Ted Carter said the Liberal Party pledge was encouraging and hoped it would help attract more support for the project.

‘It helps us believe we’re not just stringing along for something that’s impossible.

‘But we’re not happy with the idea of having it at the racetrack, which floods and is too isolated. ‘Alveston Drive is closer to schools, and nearby houses mean that kids would have eyes on them all the time.

’This proposal is good for families too. Last time I was at the Railton pump track I counted 20 kids using it or watching, and six adults having a barbecue. That’s the kind of activity we want in Deloraine.’