New funding will see bike park completed this year
Scottish government gives ambitious Dyemill project £220,000
A bike park being built on Arran has been boosted by £220,000 from the Scottish government.
Work on the ambitious £400,000 project in Dyemill woods has been ongoing for weeks, with a number of bike skills trails complete.
However, the award of more than £220,000 from the Scottish government’s Islands Programme will allow the entire project, including a pump track, to be completed this year.
Arran High School Mountain Bike Club wants to create an accessible, inclusive and safe all-weather environment to grow and develop the island’s cycling community, inspiring Arran to cycle.
The park will give residents and visitors the chance to engage in cycling in many forms. With the new base, island cyclists will benefit from more local competitions and events and a safe, accessible area for coaching and skills development.
It is the second major investment for the project after it received more than £190,000 from the sportscotland Cycling Facilities Fund last November to allow work to start at Dyemill. The club also received £10,000 from North Ayrshire Ventures Trust.
The trails have been constructed by specialist firm CRC Trails, which has spent eight weeks on the island.
Club chairman Robert McNeice told the Banner:
“We are delighted with this significant support from the Scottish government. This timely funding award ensures the full vision of our bike park on Arran is sustainable for future generations. With our recently built trails needing time to bed in, we will now start work on our hub building and floodlit asphalt pump track.”
The club will set up its own bike station and maintenance service to provide further education opportunities for young leaders.
“We have worked hard and waited eight years to get to this stage. The trails are looking incredible and we’re all
excited to ride them but we need to give them time to settle. With an unusually dry build period, we need some rain to help the stone bind into the sustainable trail surface.
“The park will remain a closed construction site until we are confident no trail damage will occur,” Mr McNeice added.
North Ayrshire Council leader Marie Burns said: “We are thrilled to accept funding which will support the creation of an accessible, all-weather bike park at Dyemill on Arran. This will help make the mountain bike club’s vision for the park a reality and make a major contribution to encouraging residents to engage in cycling.”
Islands secretary Mairi Gougeon announced the cash boost, part of a £4.1 million round of funding, whilst attending a conference on sustainable islands in Shetland.
She said: “I recognise the continued resilience shown by islanders in response to the climate and cost-of-living crises but I am mindful ongoing support is needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of island communities.
“This new funding displays our commitment to enact our National Islands Plan across all six island authorities in Scotland to tackle island depopulation, boost local economies and bolster tourism. I look forward to seeing the positive impact the projects will have in their respective communities.”