I went down with Shaz this morning to the space proposed for the new Dirt and MTB Trials Bike track in Lordship Recreation Ground in North London. The excitment woke me up at 6.00 am and for once I was 30 minutes early!

So before I get into the ins and outs of the space, the challenges the amazing opportunites I wanted to say a few things about the place generally. As it has a good feel. You know that feeling..when things just feel like they are coming together and right.

Well...I don't know if it is because the overprotective yummy mummies have not got there yet (only kidding but this park is the most bike and community friendly London park I have ever been to and the credit has to go the local community and council for making it so.

The signs show clearly everywhere that pedestrians and cyclists are welcome. Kids, families and all are sharing the same wide path riding, jogging and playing.  Dog walkers give you eye contact and smile as you go past. The kids are friendly and enthused. The existing bmx track is more of a tame pump track but a lot of fun and is quite a sweet design and I would prefer this to stay as with a little work and enhancement this can actually be a very cool addition to our plans. More over it reinforces the overall bike friendly nature this park already has. 

So in the wider contect there is an existing skate park, football fields, large general fields and an existing bike track as well as an adventure playground (pretty cool) and a lovely lake.  The opportunites with the overall target of £4million in funding for regeneration in  the Grounds is really quite significant. 

So lets get into the future plans i.e. the proposed area for the Bike Track . It is in brilliant positioning. It starts opposite the existing skatepark so will have a high visible catchment of enthused kids pushing their limits already. It is also walled on one side by the kids adventure playground so younger kids will watch kids of all ages in the future doing jumps, races and very cool bike trial tricks and grow up with biking ingrained in their dna. All this brilliantly placed within metres of the Broadwater Farm estate. This latter means the park will benefit from a vibrant and strong community and ensure it will be used by hundreds if not thousands of local residents and londoners that will travel to use it.

The land proposed is in a L shape and a woody area. It is really flat so we will be building elevation throughout.  Some trees will need to be relocated but it is core to keep the trees and woodland feel. The land is quite waterlogged as it has an estuary from the stream running through it and this would need to be diverted and the land drained. The whole area is surrounded by a natural berm which smoothed and built up could potentially offer a natural feature around the course.

Interestingly the original concept drawings look at a BMX 200 metre race circuit but built in dirt with tabletops and so offer a good multi discipline approach. I think there is the opportunity to augment this into a pump track format allowing kids as they go faster and faster round to take jumps, manage berms at increasing skill and take more and more air as their bike handling , line choice and ability improves. 

In addition within the centre of the pump / BMX track that would go around the edges of the site I am thinking of two to three strsight lines of tabletops and dirt jumps that each start from a high platform to create speed and momentum for each straight line. One line would be beginner, next intermediate and finally advanced dirt jump riding. Similar to Chicksands (much smaller scale) but with a real beginners path. Videos of these ideas below

In addition as in the original concept a small trials based area to really hone in on skills would keep the diversity and challenge for the riders as they develop through the park.  

Finally the park could benefit all ages from a xc circuit all around the park boundary. It could also add an attractive feature

Next is to engage with existing experts out my disposal. So if you are reading this please get in touch and offfer advice and experience.

I will also speak to my friends at the council this week to discuss my ideas but also want to look at forming a community committee made up of the local community leaders but as importantly made up from the kids that will ride it from the estate. I believe the best result will come if they are ingrained in driving the design, the build, the races, the coaching (classes be great) and the ongoing maintenance / development. 

The formal meeting with the council is in a couple of  weeks so lots so time for ideas, planning and mobilising so share your ideas, experience and contacts.

I'll set up a specific group and forum section soon.

Hear are some vids showing the pump track concept to give a feel for what this could be 

Pump Track Concepts

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Dirt Jump Concepts

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Looking good.