Whimple has recently received a huge boost to its outdoor play area with the opening of a new ‘pump track’ in the village's Parish Field.
Whimple parish councillor Richard Lawrence explained that some time ago they were advised that funding was available from East Devon District Council to build a sports facility in the village.
Some two years ago the residents of Whimple voted in favour of a small BMX and skateboard area with a couple of ramps. Due to the effects of Covid and other issues the facility was put on the back burner. Fast forward to four months ago when councillor Lawrence, who is also a Conservative district councillor, was asked to take the project through to completion.
With technical support from Daniel Crew of DC Cycleworks in Whimple, Richard worked with Kye Forte, himself a former world bmx champion, to design and build the track which went way beyond what anyone could have imagined.
In just 16 weeks from inception, and a build time of only four weeks, Forte Trailscapes completed the job on Friday with the site being officially opened on Saturday. Such is the popularity of the track that by Sunday it already had its own Facebook page with over 150 followers.
The Whimple track caters for cyclists, scooter riders, skaters and skateboarders, together with a smaller track for younger children on balance bikes. In total the track is almost 200 metres in length and is already proving to be the envy of a number of larger villages and towns in the South West.
Comment of the week must go to a young lad in Whimple who proclaimed: “Mum, I’m never going to be bored again!”
The popularity of the new track is riding high on the back of BMX success at the recent Olympics, and who knows if Whimple one day will provide a gold medallist of the future!