29/9/2009 - New Harraby BMX scheme gets wasteland back on track

A newly restored area of land at the back of the Harraby Community Centre is proving a 'wheelie' big hit with local children.

A new temporary BMX track was completed last week after a six-day construction project involving earth shifting and a small amount of surface dressing. The track has been built on Cumbria County Council land using a £3,300 grant from Carlisle City Council.

Children around Harraby are flocking to use the new community facility - at one point on Sunday 35 children were counted using the track.

It has been a residents-driven initiative from the outset, with local people joining together through the county and city council's Harraby Together We Can project and identifying the land, deciding to develop a temporary BMX track, and cleaning the area up. 

A community clean-up day took place in July, with 12 adults and children removing building materials, car parts, bottles, cans and other rubbish. The grass was then cut to prepare the area.

The temporary BMX track is the first step in a long-term project to improve the Harraby area. The Harraby Together We Can stakeholder and residents group has instigated a study, which will bring together evidence to show where the main opportunities for future development might be, and will include a timescale and some initial costs associated with some of the proposals.

The study will include the current temporary site of the Richard Rose Central Academy, the expansion of the Community Centre and Children’s Centre, the development of recreational and play spaces and the potential growth and aspirations for Pennine Way Primary School.

Cllr Cyril Weber, Cumbria County Council's member for Harraby, said:

"This BMX track is a great way of making temporary use of land to benefit young people in the Harraby area. There's big plans further down the line for Harraby, but for a relatively small cost we can bring a large amount of enjoyment to young people now."

Carlisle City Cllr Ray Bloxham, Portfolio holder for Environment and Infrastructure, said:

"The BMX track has been buzzing with children on their bikes every evening this week and has proved to be a great success. It has come about following close working between the local community and councils. I hope the local youngsters enjoy using the track."

Liz Jackson, a resident of Harraby and a member of the Harraby Together We Can project, said:

"The BMX track is already a fantastic addition to this area. Young people are using it all the time and when we speak to them it's all they are talking about."

ENDS

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