Bike Pump Track + Skatepark = Middlebury Recreation Perfection

Did you know? Some of our members are also involved in an effort to bring a bike pump track to Middlebury! The Addison Independent recently showcased the pump track effort in an article, and the Middlebury Skatepark Project got a mention as well.

The idea for a local bike pump track has been around for years, but it gained traction nine months ago, according to project co-organizer Erik Remsen. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prompted recreation enthusiasts and municipal leaders to seek more free, accessible ways for folks to safely exercise outdoors. 

That same spirit, expressed through the Addison Central School District (ACSD) Community Partnership Council, spawned installation of an ice rink at the recreation park and is building support for a first-ever Middlebury skatepark.

“I think this would really appeal to kids and families,” Remsen said of a pump track, “and, ideally, it would be accessible to all ages and abilities. It’s a great learning tool.’”

Enthusiasm for a facility is shared by Middlebury Parks & Recreation Department officials and Addison County Bike Club members. Right now, Middlebury-area folks must go to Bristol, Rutland, or the Moosalamoo Campground in Goshen to find a pump track.

Pump tracks and skateparks both offer safe, public (free!) spaces for people to practice their sports/disciplines in an inclusive, community-supported environment. Having both in a central location like Recreation Park would add positive benefits for families, kids, and athletes both in Middlebury and surrounding towns. Middlebury could become a recreation destination for people all over Vermont and beyond as well.

If all goes smoothly, Remsen believes work on the track could begin as soon as next spring. He gave a shout-out to the many folks who’ve been diligently supporting the effort, including Middlebury Parks & Recreation Superintendent Dustin Hunt, Addison County Bike Club President George Lawrence, ACSD Director of Communications and Engagement Emily Blistein and Ethan Murphy, who’s also a driving force behind the related Middlebury skatepark effort.

[…]

[Murphy] noted skatepark and pump track boosters had hoped to ask the selectboard for a combined letter of support for both facilities, “but the pump track is further along in the process and will hopefully pave the way for what we think will be a much-loved and used new section of Recreation Park, once completed.”