The project is a collaboration between Wicklow County Council and the Wicklow Town Team, who secured funding of €225,000 for the long-awaited works for a purpose-built track from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme last year.
Plans for the pump track date back to 2022 and upon its completion, it is believed this will be the largest BMX pump track in the country.
The best-in-class asphalt covered pump track promises to provide many hours of activity and enjoyment for all ages and abilities. It also has the potential to host events and competitions, which may come as welcome news to Ireland’s BMX racers.
The cohort received a large dose of inspiration last month when Ireland’s Carly Hayes from Dublin finished 13th overall in the Girls 16 category at the BMX World Championships in Denmark.
It is hoped works on the new Wicklow pump track will be completed by the end of September in time for opening by the end of October.
The Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Graham Richmond, said: “I was down at the site yesterday and it looks great. It will be a wonderful addition to the offerings we have in Wicklow town, and should attract visitors from far and wide.
“Hopefully it is the start of more recreational facilities in and around the town, because the town has been short of these sorts of facilities for too long. If you don’t provide these types of recreational facilities then it can lead to anti-social behaviour.
“We have had a lot of building taking place in Wicklow town and surrounding areas in recent years, but we need to have the proper infrastructure in place to match this growth. This will be a state-of-the-art pump track, suitable for all levels and age groups.
“It will be the largest bike pump track in Ireland and should also help provide Wicklow town with a boost in the numbers of visitors. It’s all very positive and hopefully the works should be completed before the end of September, in time for an official opening in October.”
Welcoming the development of the pump track, and the short timeline to its completion, Pascal Burke, chair of Wicklow Town Team, acknowledged the great support provided for this project by the Wicklow Municipal District staff and its councillors by saying that this is another great example of what can be achieved for the local community by all interested parties working constructively together.
The first full BMX track in Ireland was opened in Ratoath, Co Meath in November 2011. Now there are tracks in Cork, Dublin, Lisburn, and down the road from Wicklow in Courtown.
Most recently tracks were opened in Dungarvan, Co Waterford and in the Dodder Valley Park in Dublin.
The latter has been described by developers Velosolutions as the “largest full asphalt pump track in Ireland,” with a total area of 1,300 square metres.
Bike Park Ireland in Tipperary also describes their pump track as the largest in Ireland, but unfortunately the facility has been closed since 2019 due to insurance costs.