Northampton Cycling Club proposes paved pump track at Veterans Field to expand accessible recreation

The Northampton Cycling Club presented plans Oct. 15 to build a paved pump track at Veterans Field, asking the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) to help fund construction. Club co‑president Jonathan Brody said the group has already completed feasibility work and secured a $20,000 ARPA grant for design and site study and that Veterans Field is the most accessible location for residents who rely on the bike path and nearby affordable housing.

The proposal, led by Brody and supported by volunteers and regional partners, calls for a paved looped track adjacent to the existing skate park, designed for riders of all ages and abilities including wheelchair users. “A pump track…is much more accessible than even skate parks, particularly for, let's say, wheelchairs,” Brody said. Jeff Burke, who has led skatepark efforts in nearby communities, added, “You can really think of a pump track…as a skate park is for skateboarders, a pump track is for cyclists.”

Why it matters: presenters said the paved surface and professional construction by Velo Solutions would reduce long-term maintenance and allow multiuse—bikes, scooters, skateboards and wheelchairs—bringing more families and daily users to Veterans Field. The club also proposed volunteer-led maintenance and graffiti removal to complement Parks and Recreation work.

Project status and budget details: presenters said site survey, wetland flagging and soil analysis are complete or near complete and that Berkshire Design prepared plans and drainage details. The application requests $633,000 from CPC for construction; the team reported $48,000 in prior funding and in‑kind support and a remaining community fundraising commitment of about $38,000. Sam (project representative) said the requested funds cover permitting, construction documents, earthwork/drainage, paving, site paths and a 15% construction contingency.

Questions and concerns raised by CPC members focused on schedule flexibility, wetlands and drainage, projected usage and winter maintenance. Committee member Chris Hellman noted the CPC’s constrained budget and encouraged the applicants to consider phasing or cost reductions; project presenters said the scheme is shovel‑ready and that full funding would allow construction as soon as next year. On wetlands and grading, presenters and project engineers (Berkshire Design, represented in discussions by Carlos Nieto) said the track would be built up to skate‑park grade with subsurface drainage and would avoid wetland impacts.

Public process and next steps: no funding decisions were made Oct. 15. The CPC chair reminded applicants that the committee has a public comment meeting scheduled for Nov. 5 where the public can speak about the five proposals and that the City Council makes final funding decisions after CPC recommendation. Presenters were invited to return with additional outreach details such as coordination with disability‑access groups and houseless‑community outreach; Brody said he would contact the Department of Community Care (DCC) and All Out Adventures and report back prior to Nov. 5.

Ending: proponents said a paved pump track would provide a low‑barrier recreation option for youth and families, reuse an under‑utilized downtown park and support nearby businesses by drawing more visitors to the area.