The dreams of Fort William riders are finally coming true as construction works on a new bike and skate park begin.
Contractors arrived on site this month to begin ground works on the new multi-purpose recreational ground adjacent to Lochaber High School.
Fort William Bike Park will feature a championship pump track, a BMX park and an adaptive pump track for individuals of all abilities.
Developers estimated the project would cost in the region of £250,000 to complete, however, the price tag has now risen to around £600,000.
‘It’s been a long time coming’
The venture has been seven years in the making for the charity Lochaber Wheeled Sports Society.
Last year, officials were aiming to open the park by May 2023.
However, with works finally under way, gates are scheduled to open in August in time for the 2023 World Championships on August 4.
Chairman Gregor Muir says he is thrilled to finally see work on the project commence.
He said: “Seven years it’s taken to get here. When we first started it was an undertaking. We were looking at £250,000 originally which we thought was huge. Now we are at £500,000 to £600,000 to get the park built.
“It’s been a long time coming and it seems to all be happening now, which is really great.”
The charity launched a campaign to fund the expensive venture in 2016 after being blown away by facilities offered in Inverness.
Mr Muir added: “Inverness skate park is just a phenomenal facility, with the pump track in the back and the skate area; it was brilliant. That’s where it started.
“We took a pile of kids up years ago from Fort William as our local kids are all into mountain biking. We thought we will go and play for half an hour at the bike park and then we will go into town and do what we need to do. We couldn’t get out of there. The kids were in there for four to five hours.
“We saw that facility and how well it worked in Inverness, and we thought, we just need to lift Inverness skate park and put it in Fort William. It’s truly been a team effort.”
Team work makes the dream work
Contractors from Velosolutions have been brought onboard to construct the pump track as Concreate brings the BMX track to life.
The committee had originally planned to include a beginner’s pump track on the grounds but following discussions, the plans were altered to create an adaptive pump track, which could be used by disabled riders.
The tracks will be constructed as part of phase one of the project as they begin fundraising for the construction of a workshop on the grounds.
The venture has been made possible thanks to funding from a host of organisations and sponsors.
Sport Scotland has invested £290,000 in the venture, with the Scottish Children’s Lottery, HIE and Highland Council also lending their support.
With works at an early stage, Mr Muir appealed for supporters to donate what they can to ensure the project goes off without a hitch.
“This wouldn’t have happened without all our funders,” he said.
“We are still looking for another £3,000 to £4,000 to finish things off so anyone who has got a few pennies down their couch that they want to give us, we would be more than grateful for it.”
Conversation