Jul. 22—fayetteville — An already-active town park is preparing to become a busier place.
On Monday, town and community representatives gathered for a groundbreaking for a new asphalt pump track for biking enthusiasts.
According to Matt Diederich, Fayetteville town superintendent, the project is being funded via the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin through congressionally directed spending earmarks in the 2022 funding cycle.
Diederich says the pump track will cost $400,000 and is part of a larger project that will also feature a bike skills area in the woods behind Fayetteville Town Park and the development of trails and a trailhead at Needleseye Park in Oak Hill. The overall project is being managed by the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority.
Velosolutions and American Ramp Company are overseeing the project, and Fayetteville town employees are helping with site preparation, which began Monday.
"We're building a pump track here in Fayetteville, West Virginia," said Jesse Braden, a representative of Velosolutions. "A pump track is a track layout, a BMX bicycle track, and it's got a series of rollers.
"Those are bumps that the riders will use to either accelerate their speed or slow down, so there's no need to pedal. They'll use these rollers to create speed around the track without pedaling. Big guys, you'll see them jump from one hill to the other when they accumulate speed. The smaller guys, you'll see them roll the track.
"It's safe for all ages, for the young kids and the older guys. It's really interesting to see all the people come out and ride together. Since it is directional, all the kids can get out there together and ride at once."
Riders will utilize a continuous loop. A good mix of ages of participants should "bring the whole community together," Braden said.
According to Braden, construction will take about six weeks to complete, including landscaping at the end. "It's about a medium-sized track that we typically build," he said. "By it being directional, they can do as many laps as they can, which probably won't be more than five (because) they'll get tired out."
"I'm just really excited for the community to be able to get out there and ride it," he added. "I see all the biking and the rental bikes in the area, so it seems like it's a really avid biking community. I'm excited for us to get it done and see all the kids get out here and start spinning some laps."
Braden said the best bike to use for the pump track would be "a rigid bike, one without suspension." That could include a 20-inch BMX bike or larger, or dirt jumper-style bikes, which have a 26- to 29-inch wheel, but "it has that rigid rear end so that way they can pump through there without losing speed."
Abbie Newell, president of the Fayette Trail Coalition, expressed her excitement with the potential for the pump track.
The trail coalition has wanted the pump track "for a number of years," said Newell. It was a segment of a four-property soft surface trail plan that was introduced in 2022 which targeted Fayette County Park, Wolf Creek Park, the Town of Fayetteville and Needleseye Park in Oak Hill. Besides the Fayette Trail Coalition, partners at the time included WVU's Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative, Plateau Action Network, Fayette County Commission, Town of Fayetteville, City of Oak Hill, New River Bikes and private donors. The surface trail plan was created by a professional design firm, Applied Trail Research.
Placing the pump track in Fayetteville "lended itself to the infrastructure" of a "great recreational hub," said Newell.
"We're excited," she said. "No. 1, it's a dream coming to fruition. And No. 2, it offers skills progressions (which is) easy to learn. It's a good starting place" before moving on to other areas, she added.
The town park's skateboard park, which has been in place for several years, and newer additions such as the pump track, will continue to help boost the ever-expanding recreation culture in the county seat, Newell said. She added that Fayetteville has been "such a great partner."
"It's definitely a good addition to town and the activities that we have," community member Andy Forron said of the pump track. "It fits in well with all the trails and all the folks riding around on bikes." He expects it to be "superfun for kids and adults, as well."
"The idea came around a couple years ago," Forron continued. "We (the Fayette Trail Coalition) put a trail plan together. That's when we identified the potential for a pump track to be able to be part of that plan."
It is "pretty exciting" that this is "the first part of that plan (coming) together," he said. "The funding is there for some other stuff, but this is the first thing that we've been able to get all the compliances, all the stuff (to move forward)."
The track is "the first surface pump track in West Virginia," Forron noted. "To me, it's more of a good thing for the community. That's the win there."
Forron said the track will accommodate all types of bikes. "Really, any bike will work on it. You can ride whatever bike you want on it."
While the nearby skate park has had some bike users, "It's a little tight for bikes," he said. The pump track "does have tight turns in it, but it is definitely made for bikes.
"It has firm, banked turns, big rollers."
The size of 10,000 square feet or better will allow the Fayetteville track to be utilized for competitions in the future, said Forron. "That's been discussed already, so we'll see where that goes."
"It's a good thing for town," he concluded. "It's another draw for people to want to live here."
While the construction is ongoing, those who utilize the health trail at the town park are being temporarily re-routed, according to the town's Facebook page.
