A £100k funding boost has been awarded to Zetland Park in Grangemouth to develop and build a ‘pump’ bicycle track adjacent to the current play area.
Falkirk Council and its partners will receive c.£50k from sportscotland with a further £50k coming from Council capital funding.
A pump track is designed to allow cyclists to go around a track using only their own momentum over the bumps and rolls.
Work is expected to start on the project in Spring 2020 with an estimated completion date of late 2020.
The local community will be involved in the design and features of the track and it will offer opportunities for riders of all abilities.
Councillor Robert Spears, spokesperson for Culture, Leisure and Tourism said: “Zetland park is transforming itself and is offering more and more for visitors and the local community. We are sure that the addition of the track will prove to be very popular and everyone involved is looking forward to its completion.
Stewart Harris, sportscotland chief executive, said: “At sportscotland, we are committed to ensuring sporting facilities such as the pump track at Zetland Park become part of the fabric of the local community. We look forward to working with partners to develop this facility and increase cycling opportunities in the area.”
Tom Brown, Chair of Friends of Zetland Park welcomed the news, saying “The young people of the town made it clear that they would appreciate a facility of this kind. We are extremely grateful to sportscotland for investing in our beloved park in this way.”
Partners in the project include Friends of Zetland Park, Grangemouth and Carrongrange High Schools, Falkirk Junior Bike Club, Grangemouth Triathlon Club, Al Massar and Central Scotland Regional Equality Council.
From January 2020, the nearby Zetland Park Bike Library will be lending out mountain bikes for free. The Zetland Park Regeneration Project and Grangemouth Bike Library can both be found on Facebook.
An announcement on a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund will be announced week beginning Monday 6 January 2020.