The pump track scheduled for Valemount’s Centennial Park on Aug. 2 from 3 ” 6 PM is cancelled, according to Curtis Pawliuk.
The event, which was being put on by the Canadian Ramp Company, has been cancelled due to the crew being involved in a traffic accident.
Patricia Thoni, co-owner of the Caribou Grill, applied to the CRC” and won the opportunity to host” the” track.
A pump track is a structure that uses an up and down “pumping” motion to propel the bicycle forward instead of pedaling, according to the CRC’s website.
“They require a space in town to set up a polyurethane loop; it’s like Lego,” Curtis Pawliuk, manager of VARDA, said to council.
“It’s a small set-up for children and all their wheeled vehicles, so scooters, rollerblades, bikes and skateboards,” he says.
The objective, according to Pawliuk, is to learn bike-balancing skills on the track.
Councillor Sandy Salt said VARDA had thoughts of putting in a small park area that would have a pump track, and asked if this temporary track is connected to the thought at all, to which Pawliuk said the two are not related.
“This would ideally be an excellent addition to the curling rink, or even where the current skate park is,” says Pawliuk. “Although, that’s not a desire of VARDA’s, or at least it’s not on the books at this time.”
Although bringing the temporary track is undoubtedly an attempt by the CRC to have either the Village or VARDA purchase a more permanent track, according to Pawliuk, it’s an opportunity to experience the track while it’s here, at the very least.
The track is open to all ages, “So whether you’re six or 60,” says Pawliuk.
The CRC has their own insurance, but has named the Village as an additional insurer.
The company got its start when Nathan Bemo, CRC founder and president, lived in Southeast Asia and was looking for a place to skateboard. He couldn’t find a place, so he made one, according to the website.
Bemo is still active with CRC’s design team, the website reads, and he designs unique parks for various cultures and climates.
CRC has skatepark infrastructure all over the world including Canada, the United States, UK, Puerto Rico, Iceland, Saudi Arabia and China.
