By JOHN COSGROVE
Leithfield Beach Reserve’s new pump track is on schedule and many in the small rural township say its a welcome addition to their community.
Leithfield Beach Residents Association (LBRA), chairperson Jacky Ellis says she is particularly proud of the hard work by everyone so far.
‘‘It is fantastic to have the whole community behind it.
‘‘It will be a good addition to the community and the support we have here will make it come to life.’’
A pump track is a looped sequence of rollers and banked berms designed for bike riders and skaters using their momentum to navigate the course.
Mrs Ellis says it will be a place for the young people of the district to meet and socialise and bring life to a corner of the township that is in need of attention.
‘‘We are already planning for a number of events to be held once it is built,
‘‘Everyone has got behind the project and the ideas are flowing fast.’’
She says she has been approached by one interested party who has a wooden half pipe and is keen to donate it to the project and then conduct classes on cycling and skateboarding for the younger members of the community.
Other ideas mooted by the LBRA include workshops on bike maintenance, riding skills and road safety.
The idea for the pump park came from the vision of Leithfield Beach residents Christine and Paul James who wanted to create a fun activity at the Reserve in memory of their son Aaron, who died in a motor vehicle accident in Waikuku in 2014.
Christine says Aaron was a keen BMX rider and skater and ‘‘If it had wheels, he was into it.’’
She says the family has lived in the area for over 40 years and Aaron was well known for guiding young cyclists to enjoy riding and skating.
Mrs Ellis says along with the James family donation of $5000, the small community has already raised $19,034 in the past 12 months through garage sales, donations from the Leithfield Hotel and Leithfield Lions, a big community raffle and their latest venture - a rude food dinner proved very successful over the weekend.
‘‘We were sold out and everyone enjoyed the cheeky creative nature of dinner, which was served by local waiters suitably attired for the occasion.’’ .
She says it proved so popular they are planning some more in the future. Mrs James says the goal is to have the pump track in place before winter, depending on the rising prices of roading materials.
