Dreams of a unique all-in-one park for skateboarders, mountain bikers, cyclists and BMX fans could become reality in a north-east town.
The Ellon Wheel Park committee has been formed to build a 650-yard-long facility in the town.
It submitted an expression of interest to SportScotland, after the body launched an £8 million fund for cycling facilities, as part of Glasgow’s hosting of the Cycling World Championships in 2023.
The Ellon team have now received the go-ahead to make an application for full funding for the project.
During the BMX craze of the 1980s, Ellon residents signed a petition in their droves for a dirt track for the town.
The then Gordon District Council rejected the plans, however funds for that campaign have been redirected to the current project.
Not all kids like team sports
Colin Allanach, chairman of the Ellon Wheel Park committee, said: “It’s something Ellon lacks.
“There’s a lot of good football and rugby facilities.
“But unless you’re into team sports, it’s hard for kids round here.
“So this will give the local youth something to do.
“In the 80s and 90s there were a lot of skateboarders in Ellon.
“At the time there were ideas kicking about for a skatepark, but we never got round to it.
“Now with the SportScotland fund, we thought: why not do something unique?”
He added: “It can be used as a skatepark, a BMX park, a mountain bike pump track, and a cycle circuit.
“There’s nothing like it around here.
“Nothing has all those aspects in one facility.
“We believe it’s unique in the north-east.
“It’ll be a great attraction for Ellon and the surrounding area.
“It seems that this is something Ellon has been crying out for for years, and hopefully we can deliver this time.
“We aim to have it up and running by the end of 2023, to tie in with the World Championships.”
Councillors, schools and police in favour
Local groups have rallied round the project, with local councillors, schools, police and community groups giving their backing.
Mr Allanach said he had been “blown away” by the level of support.
Ellon councillor Louise McAllister said: “I am hugely excited by the prospect of this facility.
“The need for physical, outdoor activity open to all has been long needed in our busy, family-oriented area.
“This would be a wonderful opportunity for residents, schools and clubs.
“And there would be the added benefit of increased footfall in the town centre, which would lend support to businesses as we come out of lockdown.
“The social, health and economic benefits would be difficult to overstate.”
Fundraising is currently underway for a feasibility study, with £12,000 needed.
The study will look at a handful of suitable locations in the town.
The first event was held last week when Ythan Cycle Club did a 100-mile sponsored cycle.
The current total stands at £4,500, with support gratefully received on the group’s fundraising page at
https://gofund.me/44443014
.
Legacy of 1980s BMX craze
By the mid-1980s, BMX clubs had appeared all over the north-east of Scotland.
More than 130 people in Ellon signed a petition seeking a dirt track for the town, with a small fundraising group set up to support the project.
But there was disappointment when the then Gordon District Council’s environmental and miscellaneous services committee said the authority was not in a position to be building tracks.
Money left over from that fund has been transferred to the Ellon Wheel Park.
Thanks to the community’s hard work and ingenuity all these years later, the future looks bright for the children and grandchildren of those kids.
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