Last
updated on
02 November 2023
A pump track for Walkerburn
- a WCDT project

Update November 2023
In conjunction with SBC we are holding a small exhibition in the Public
Hall between 13.30 &
15.30 on Friday 24th November to
show the final design plans for the track and answer any questions.
Staff from SBC and hopefully some of our local Councillors will be there
along with representatives from WCDT.
There will be a short power point presentation & there will be plans on
the wall so everyone can see how the new facility will look when built.
Funding has been provided by Sports Scotland & Scottish Borders Council
with construction scheduled to commence in April 2024 with an estimated
build time of some 8 weeks.
The build project will be managed by Scottish Borders Council who will
also be responsible for long term maintenance of the track and park.
All are welcome to attend.
Update September 2023
Our plans for a pump track in the village for the community to enjoy
have made a giant leap forward with the confirmation of funding for the
construction. The money has come from the Sport Scotland Cycling
Facilities Fund and the Scottish Borders Council (SBC)
and construction will begin in April 2024.
Under the plans for the track there will also be two basketball hoops
and football goals as part of an upgraded multi-use games area facility.
Charlie Trousdell, from Walkerburn Community and Development Trust
(WCDT), said: ‘This funding boost is fantastic news for the community.
We wanted to provide a much-needed, fun, free, community resource for
the children (and adults) of the village that will encourage more people
to take part in physical exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Last
year WCDT held a survey among villagers to gauge opinion on the proposal
and the response was overwhelmingly positive.’
The pump track will be sited on the playing fields at the far end of
Tweedholm Avenue and work is expected to take six to eight weeks. There
is an existing football pitch that will be retained and basketball hoops
are being installed. SBC will procure and manage the works as well as
the long-term maintenance of the track.
Cathie Hart the village Resilience Co-ordinator said ' This is such a
great venture for the community and congratulations to all who have
helped secure it. Going to be lots of happy children next year and
adults to get some peace!!'
Emma Guy, WCDT member and recent project manager for the 2023 UCI
Mountain Bike World Championships at Glentress, said the facilities
would help create an entry point into cycling for non bikers. She
said: ‘The pump track at Walkerburn will be a great asset for beginners
and local kids. We are looking forward to hosting local groups and
lessons on the track and getting Walkerburn pedalling.’
Robin Tatler, Tweeddale East independent councillor, said the funding
was ‘brilliant news.’ Mr Tatler said: ‘Congratulations to WCDT for
their work in taking this from an idea that came out of a community fair
to identify what local people wanted through to reality. Myself
and the other local councillors are delighted that funding from SBC is
helping to make this happen and that our team will be working with WCDT
to deliver the project. Thanks also go to Sport Scotland for their
major funding contribution – without which this would not be possible.
We all look forward to this facility opening next year and can be sure
it will be well used by locals and visitors alike.’
Update Summer 2023
Planning consent was secured back in February and we are in the process
of discharging the conditions that were attached to the consent.
Funding does take time but we are making good progress with Sports
Scotland who will contribute up to 50% of the costs and we expect to get
a decision within the next couple of months.
The good news is that Scottish Borders Council (SBC) Open Spaces Fund is
prepared to contribute to the funding of the Pump Track along with the
new goalposts and basketball hoops.
SBC will arrange the procurement process and as landowners will maintain
the site in the long term.
The procurement process takes 2 to 3 months from invitations to tender
being issued and award of contract. All the potential contractors are
specialists in this area and are busy on other contracts, so it is
likely that construction of the track will not be able to start until
spring 2024.
Update December 2022
Great news! The planning application
for the pump track is officially submitted. Now it will go through
scrutiny and several professional surveys will be conducted to ensure it
complies with flood and environmental planning etc. This process should
take about 3 months.
We are hopeful that we will be able to get
this built for the kids of Walkerburn. We are also working on keeping
the kick around area and looking at what else we can add on to make it a
real recreational hub.
Update
November 2022 The Development Trust is working hard on getting the pump track built
in Walkerburn. There are a number of site surveys needed to get it through
planning.
The National Lottery
Community Fund Scotland
have stepped in to support the specialist costs needed to get us through
planning. If all goes well we hope to break ground early Spring... The
kids should be using it next year. Can't wait to see it becoming a part
of the village. We are also talking with SBC about retaining the footie
area and adding basketball hoops. Other ideas are welcomed!
Results of Pump track survey in August

As most of you know we have 8 e-bikes for hire at a very low rate for
village residents this year.
The
National Lottery Community Fund Scotland has also given us
money to buy some brilliant Armadillo storage for the bikes so we can
all access them more easily and they are kept safe. We are hoping to
place these more centrally so they get more use.
Hopefully we all get great use out of both.
Stay tuned as we'll will be reaching out for your input on the pump track
including the basketball & football kick around areas and layout.
On Saturday 6th August there was a pop up pump
track for people to try out on the football area at the end of Tweedholm
Avenue. Lots of people came along to give it a go, and to
share there views on the posibility of installing a permanent pump track
in that area of the village. The vast majority of people were
strongly in favour recognising that a pump track would be a great addition to the facilities available to
younger people (and others too) in the village.
There were some people who were concerned about
the loss of some of the area of the football pitch, and this will
be considered when it comes to looking at the final location.
Those residents who look directly onto the area have received a copy of
the survey through their door and it is important that they fill in the
survey.
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