Pump plan on track

The Nelson seaside community of Glenduan hopes to add bicycle pump track to the list of leisure facilities available on its local reserve.

About a third of the clay needed to build the track is already on the planned site, next to a playground area that opened last year.

While the council helped set up The Glen’s playground space, complete with a flying fox and concrete skate ramp, the bike track is being funded and managed by the local community.

The Friends of The Glen Society community group started work on the track about a year ago, but chairwomen Nicole Cooley said the project was stalled by wet winter weather.

‘‘We couldn’t get any trucks on here to bring the material on, but we’re ready to go as soon as we get the rest of the material.’’

About 80 cubic metres of clay was needed to add to the 40 already there. ‘‘Because it’s a pump track it’s got to be specific clay, without the stones in it, because over time the stones will rise to the top.’’

Pump tracks are hilly circuits, designed to be ridden not by pedalling, but by ‘‘pumping’’; using momentum from up and down body movements.

They encourage people to learn how to balance and develop the skills needed to bike without the risk of injury, Cooley said.

‘‘There are probably about 60 or 70 kids living out here, plus the greater community of Nelson North that spends a lot of time here, and a lot of the kids are bike mad, and the