New track in Cheltenham

[Bushwacked]

Who designed it a Vicar?

Yeah - a blind one!

[Brandy Truffle]

A waste of time and money.

Will attract only the hoodie brigade who will tear it up (in a bad way) only weeks after its completed. With no real attraction for proper racing/freestyling it can only be labeled as a dirt track which has had a bit of money spent on it. Fine if thats all the parish council set out to achieve...

If you're gonna do something, then may as well do it properly. I'd have rather seen them start it next year with a club behind it and some sort of proper consultation and design maybe.

I've been to see the "track" it's 10mins from my house. I'm as disappointed looking at it as i was when racing at the original Chelt track ended.

[Bushwacked]

Brandy Truffle - You local then??

I agree its curently a waste of money. As I understand it the council had some spare cash (budget needing t be spent before the end of the year perhaps) and some land and decided to do it. They got a local builder to do it and he started about 5 days after we (Local cycling club) got wind of it. We put together a paper on BMX racing, issues to consider in building a track, benefits to the local community etc etc, but just before we handed it in the track building started - case of bad timing!!

 

We're still looking at getting the most out of it we can and I am meeting with them on Monday to see what we can do to finish it. The chairman of the local club is keen to see if there is enough interest to start something up - even if it is using this track for practice / learning the necessary skills and then travelling to race etc. Not ideal but if there is the interest and the postive response maybe we'll get something bigger in the future.

I had some feedback a few months ago from the local riders and there was some negativity towards it initially but generally I think getting them and other locals on board to build and maintain it will give them a sense of ownership. I know it will still get trashed but hopefully if they build something they like and are able to develop it they will be able to keep it going and looked after.

Maybe its wishful thinking but you got to try. 

[Brandy Truffle]

Bush, I'm in Gloucester, Between 83 & 86 I helped set up and raced the Gloucester Robins Track on Robinswood Hill, also raced Cheltenham Flyers, The Stroud BMX track at Stonehouse - all  complete shockers of tracks, but we were kids then, we didn't know what to build lol.

The thing back then was the kids had a local bike shop/BMX specialist who 1) got involved & 2) acted as a great meeting place and notice board for everyone to pool thoughts and actions..

In Gloucester it was Speedys Bmx, Stroud it was Mr & Mrs Hooks shop (forget the name) and in Chelt AMS Motorcycles were the place back then..  Looking around now there seems to be no-one (shops) with any interest in BMX and no place to "gather the army" lol.

I don't want to be pouring the negative vibes on what could be the beginning of something good in this area so I'd love to offer some help/advice/time -  anything i could do - but i feel this is just destined to be a kids play track, much like the one in Gloucester Park where they added lil' half pipes and stuff for skaters etc like that. In Summer it's like a Hoodie Convention.

Maybe I'm getting Old.....




......maybe I am 

[Bushwacked]

Brandy - you still riding? I mainly ride down Pittville and other parks in the area - not done any racing at all.

TBH I've only been riding BMX for just under a year and as I'm the only "BMXer" in the area's cycling club I've been asked to get involved after the council approached the club chairman but my knowledge isn't quite a good on these matters as I would like. It would be good to see the track in a fit state to be ridden but it is a long way short of a decent race track.

Another local guy over 30 has been involved and met with the council and builders. It sounds like he told them to rip it down and replace it as it wasn't fit for purpose to which they said they wouldn't (no surprises there) instead apparently they are going to import some clay to surface it. What I don't get is why they are doing this, clay would be great but surely back in the day building a track wasn't as technical as it seems it is these days and they were built from whatever soil was available. Maybe I am missing something on this (BTW - I'm not saying I don't want to see the job done well but I'd like us to make some use out of this track to show there is justification for something bigger / more expensive)

Also I've been told that if we volunteer to work on it and smooth it up to make it rideable and a kid falls and breaks something we would be sued so not to get involved - is this right? surely as it is on council ground the liability rests with them.

At the end of the day we are just trying to help improve the facilities for the local community and our kids but there is a surprising amount of resisitance and negative attitude to doing so - the whole "Spend thousands and do it properly or it ain't worth it" and "no point getting involved as the council should do it properly and they are shit so it'll never work" attitudes

 

[sweetbeats]

You would think after like 30 years of BMX someone would be able to build a track...It isn't rocket science race 1 or 2 at a time or race the clock zzzzzzzzzz..... you may as well race round the block or something.

Tell the vicar to hire a steam roller,flatten the whole thing and stick to holding sermons...BMX and Baptism don't mix 

More Tea Vicar 

[Brandy Truffle]

If its not going to be a  "proper" BMX racing track then it at least needs to be something like this.....

http://www.dragondownhill.co.uk/2004site/LongwellGreen.htm


Show em the vids and the page to get an idea.... 

http://www.dragondownhill.co.uk/2004site/BMX.htm

[Bushwacked]

Cheers for the links - agreed, if not a proper one which I think the council won't stretch to, something like this would be awesome and is what I'm hoping will happen.

B

[sweetbeats]

Even twice as wide so 4 could blast on it would be great...racing a clock is would just be tedious though..fair play for the effort.

[Brandy Truffle]

Bush, if you get to the stage where you need a hand or want someone involved give me a PM, maybe meet up at the track for a natter see what we can do..

[Bushwacked]

Brandy - Will do!

[hudu]

Check your PM Bushwacked. Another rant.

We should have just posted them in here! 

[hudu]

If its not going to be a  "proper" BMX racing track then it at least needs to be something like this.....

http://www.dragondownhill.co.uk/2004site/LongwellGreen.htm


Show em the vids and the page to get an idea.... 

http://www.dragondownhill.co.uk/2004site/BMX.htm

You mean like this....



Just sent Bushwacked a reccommendation for the guys that built the playtrack, they know their stuff.

[Brandy Truffle]

^^^^^^^^ Lovin' That. Lovin' That ALOT 

[Bushwacked]

Right, we met with the Council and had quite a positive chat about things…

First the bad news:
1.   This was only ever going to be a play track – not a race track
2.   There is no more cash available at the moment - which limits what can be done
3.   They are not going to knock it down and replace it with a national / regional level track
4.   There is a lot of work left to be done

But the good news is…
1.   The track turned out to be MUCH bigger than they expected
2.   They are excited to have some help to make it rideable
3.   They seem open to suggestions on changes to make it more suitable / enjoyable
4.   They have access to machinery to do the heavy work (Perhaps Digger and wacker plate etc)
5.   They are very keen to get the local riders involved to develop it now and in the future
6.   If it get used and is a positive addition to the area who knows what may happen in the future.

OK, so they havent done the best job so far but this is much better than a bowls lawn or a new fountain.

More importantly we have now got the opportunity to put together some plans on how we could use what is already there and build it into something better. 

The first step we're going to take is to get an idea of number of people who would be keen to help out on this, hopefully by making suggestions and / or doing some of the physical work.  (If anyone wants to help out either email me: barnt at hotmail dot com or put your name below).

Then we are going to put some plans together to discuss with the council - if they are cool with it we will push ahead with making the changes.

Some people have said the council should pay for this as its part of our community but we've now got a chance to change it so why not get involved especially as the council can't fund anything for another 12 or so months. If it gets used then great, we might even get a new track in a few years, but if we go to the press, get a regional or better track and it doesn't get used then we really are wasting council money more than they have already.

Fingers crossed it all goes well.

[Cashy]

any updated pics??

Why did they use just builders and not Steve Jenks for example? £12k for a half decent play track

[Humps00]

^^^^^^^^ Lovin' That. Lovin' That ALOT 

That's the track at Broomfield near Herne Bay, CT6 7AD.  Hudu built it and it's as sweet to ride now as when he first built it.  It's 50+ miles from my home but that's where I'll be tomorrow night - cos it's worth it!!  The Cheltenham 'track' is at least a start but when will Councils learn to consult the people that know about these things rather than going off half cock!!  Humps