Watch our test runs

YouTube (24th November 2010)

YouTube (24th February 2011)

(We didn't do any work on site in December 2010 because of continued snow and ice!)

Week 9: the numbers are in

This is the very last barrow of soil, which was wheeled in today. Our BMX Pump Track is 55 metres long, 1.2 metres wide, used 14 tonnes of soil and has 12 rollers. The track now provides 215 square metres (~2300ft2) dedicated to disability BMX.

Week 8: bikes arrive (Mongoose Logo)

... and Casper T looks well happy with how the track is developing after just 4 days effort (click the photo to zoom in - on the track, not Casper!!).

Here is the spec of the bikes.

Read down the blog for the story of the track, so far ...

Week 1: at the starting gate!

Dave Blackburn (Garden Manager), 'Casper' Taylor (Chain Brakers) and a student, celebrate the exciting launch of the 'highriders' project in September 2010.

Casper already runs ABLE's own pump track in Wakefield (see links). He is now helping with this Halifax pilot project.

Is this enough dirt .......... ?

.......... not really!

A student takes charge!

Week 2: our first "berm" (almost)

Week 3: the dirt keeps coming ...

8 tonnes of loamy soil so far,

but now it's October 2010 and a shame that the weekend's heavy rain washed away all our yellow marker paint !

... but we now have rollers (just)

has anyone else noticed that Casper is always leaning on his shovel?

Week 3, part 2: volunteers arrive

We are grateful to volunteers from Lloyds Banking Group, the largest retail bank in UK (HQ in Halifax) for helping move soil. You can also see an existing 'Freewheelers' adapted bike in action.

Week 4: eight tonnes and testing

Week 5: large berm finished

Click to zoom!

Sensory and therapeutic garden

Does your Pump Track have "pick your own" herbs nearby !?!

(We always seek out innovative projects with lots of added value - see older posts below)

Week 6: action, action, action

School is closed for Half Term, but there's no rest for the team. We had 3 keyworkers from 3 different community organisations shaping the track all day, while school was quiet. This helps achieve our aim of bringing 3 districts of Yorkshire together in 1 project.

The back of the berm was also planted up with 100 woodland bulbs (if you look closely above you can just see them laid out for planting). Our choice was Wild Garlic because this will stabilise the berm and add to the sensory garden (it has a shady, wooded aspect), but mainly because it is EDIBLE. This is an essential part of ABLE's different way of thinking - i.e. allocating space for growing food and edible plants/trees as part of EVERY project, whatever the setting. This makes it an incredible edible BMX track (to find out more about this approach, read the website of our close working partners Incredible Edible Todmorden who have pioneered this approach internationally, to much Royal acclaim).

Thanks to Manfred, Chris and Casper and also to Kathy at Wild Flower Shop who not only supplied 50 Wild Garlic bulbs but also donated 50 Bluebells to mix in. The bulbs are of course of native British origin from cultivated stock, meeting Flora Locale's code of practice.

The chief track tester is in town

Click above to zoom!