It’s looking increasingly likely that Byford will have its promised pump track and jump line by August next year.
At last week’s special council meeting, councillors unanimously approved Margaret River-based Common Ground Trails to take on the design and construction of the project at Briggs Park.
Common Ground has designed about 150 pump tracks around Australia, and also in Canada. But company director David Wilcox said this one will be the largest asphalt-surfaced combined pump track and jump line facility they have ever built.
He’s confident the work will be completed on time, and construction is planned to start in the first half of next year after a period of community feedback.
Common Ground’s Brian Lawlor said the pump track will be designed to accommodate a range of wheels, and will be accessible to younger riders.
While the jump line, with jumps up to two metres high, will cater to the more adventurous.
He also said the asphalt will have a 20-year life expectancy, and that maintenance of the track will be fairly straight-forward because asphalt is a product most local government work crews are already familiar with.
There is hope the new facility will entice riders away from using (and damaging) the BMX track.
The $885,530 outlaid for the design and construction will also include park shelters and furniture, drainage, and landscape works.
The shire is currently negotiating extras including a carpark, lighting of the carpark and pump track, CCTV, and connectivity to the existing pavilion.
Improvements to the existing toilets will be done as part of the Briggs Park Pavilion Youth Centre Upgrade project.
The pump track has been made possible due to a reallocation of the $1.34 million nature splash park funding via the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
Sports Minister David Templeman was at Briggs Park following this week’s Community Cabinet.
The self-proclaimed “most successful sports minister since the last one” was excited to see a homegrown entity win the contract and said he looked forward to seeing the finished product.
The minister was also on hand to sign a new $18.5 million funding agreement between DLGSC and the shire for the Keirnan Park Recreation Precinct – which he did so with an idiosyncratically dramatic flourish, while chastising local member Hugh Jones and Shire President Rob Coales for their paltry scrawls.
“We’re making history – you’ve got to give them something to remember,” he said.
The shire is now putting the pedal to the metal to shore up new and improved sports facilities for its rapidly growing population – which is expected to triple in the next twenty years.
In fact, in recognition of Byford having one of the highest birth rates in the state, Minister Templeman has (tongue-in-cheek) dubbed SJ ‘nappy valley’.
The shire is currently advocating to the state and federal governments for $40.4 million to expand the Keirnan Park project to include the development of 15 new netball courts and change rooms, and $12.5 million for a new BMX track.
“Today’s announcements are a significant step towards the shire being future-proofed as a liveable and thriving shire, for current and future residents and the wider region,” Shire President Rob Coales said.
“Our shire has one of the fastest growing populations of any local government area in the country, with our population expected to soar from just more than 38,000 today, to more than 95,000 by 2046.
“It’s an exciting time, but a rapidly growing population always brings challenges for community infrastructure.
“Our current recreation facilities are badly degraded and have needed replacing for years.
“Rapid growth means we need to plan for the future, and have the infrastructure in place to give shire residents every opportunity to be active and healthy.”
It’s anticipated that construction on Stage 1A of Keirnan Park will begin next year.
