One of the reasons Preston Lewis likes the Cycling Pump Track may not last for too long.
“There is not so many people who know about it.”
The Penticton Area and Cycling Association, along with the City of Penticton, held a joint opening for the track that is located on Poplar Grove Road on Oct. 4. It was a project the city and PACA said pulled the community together and wouldn’t have happened without the help of sponsors.
There were between 10 to 15 people enjoying the track during the opening, but on Friday leading up to the Thanksgiving weekend, Lewis had it all to himself.
“It’s really fun. It’s definitely new for Penticton,” said Lewis, with small beads of sweat on his forehead. “It’s just awesome to have. So many different things to skateboard and get your work out. It has everything.”
| Preston Lewis flew through the new Cycling Pump Track on Poplar Grove Road made by the Penticton and Area Cycling Association with the City of Penticton. Lewis had the track all to himself prior to Thanksgiving Weekend.Emanuel Sequeira/Western News |
Lewis, who added the Cycling Pump Track is in the perfect location, plans on spending a lot of time there and said several kids have been using it, but added adults are enjoying it as well. He has noticed adults using it a lot on weekdays.
Dan Colbeck, a member at large with PACA, said the opening on Oct. 4 was great with kids and families enjoying the new playground. He said it was nice to see so many kids riding it. Great weather added to the atmosphere of the ceremony, which was attended by city dignitaries and members of PACA. Colbeck said they are excited to have the project finished and officially opened.
“It was quite a bit of work. Quite a bit of volunteer work,” he said. “Lots of contributions from the community. It was a good feeling to see it come together and finished.”
Colbeck said this project offers Penticton a bike skills park, which it didn’t have before, while several communities in the province do. North Delta is among the most recent, with their track expected to have been completed in the same time frame, and Nanaimo has built one.
PACA began looking at establishing the skills park with the city three years ago. PACA put a call out for donations just in kind and it came together fast with a lot of community support and several sponsors.
“Ultimately we want to establish a full compliment of the bike skills parks,” said Colbeck.