Article written by Mark Ranger – part of the Dumbleton Park management committee.

Find out more at the myspace site - www.myspace.com/dumbletonpark

Mountain Biking is a varied sport with numerous disciplines. It can range from a gentle ride through the woods to negotiating perfectly crafted dirt jumps. The sport is growing very quickly and with its popularity more people want to get involved in it. The best part is that all you need is a bike and you can ride almost anywhere. However, it's hard trying to find somewhere safe to ride that is also fun and will help you progress, and at the same time provide somewhere to socialise with your friends.

People living in Thornhill have taken things a step further than most and a constituted group has been created with support from local youth workers, the Thornhill Tidy Team, Southampton City Council, Thornhill Plus You and British Cycling. Their aim is to redevelop a disused play area owned by Southampton City Council on the edge of Dumbleton's Copse into something that will benefit the community. It will be a safe but fun place for anyone to ride their bike, and the group chose to name the bike track as Dumbleton Park .

Work has begun on fencing around the area of Dumbleton Park to prevent motorcycles from damaging the area. The bike park will be the perfect place to let kids have fun, keep fit and socialise with a different group of people. This in turn should keep them occupied and out of trouble.

Before…

Work beginning

Fencing put up around the bike track

Volunteers at work

Consultation

The green shows the current contours, the red areas are suggested new ramps to create the bike track

£3000 has already been donated by the Police which will be used to finish off the perimeter fencing. The old play equipment will be removed and then dirt will be brought in; ready to be crafted into a selection of short trails and jumps. It will be designed specifically so that EVERYONE will be able to ride SOMETHING. To keep the younger generation interested, the trails will range in size and difficulty so they can build new skills and improve fitness.

Several members of the constituted group are experienced cyclists who will plan the track and supervise the design process. The whole team is getting very involved and meet every Monday evening at 5.30pm to do work at the site or plan and discuss the way forward in Hightown Youth Centre.

It is important to stay open minded about change in the park, as constant re-development will be carried out along with maintenance to ensure the area is safe to ride.

Members of the constituted group will be key in this, but we are hoping to involve other local young people in order to let them learn about the sport, about cycling etiquette and to let them feel a part of something.

We have been working hard to create some proof of how much we have achieved, and this has lead us to gain support from British Cycling. They are following our plans and are keen to provide funding and supply what we need to get this project off the ground.

Safety is vital in a project like this. All the trails will be signposted with ranges of difficulty, so users can gauge which area is right for them.

We are also hoping to introduce workshops to teach the younger users the bike handling skills they will need to use the track safely and effectively.

If enough funding is also raised, we hope to get hold of a selection of bikes the kids can use for the day. These will probably be maintained by myself and Gary Kingsbury – a youth worker at Hightown Youth Centre – as we are aiming to get qualified in bike maintenance. It is also worth mentioning that Denim, another member of the group, has arranged some help with the local cycle shop who are keen to support local riders.

Our main objectives for the near future are to get the knee rail perimeter fencing completed and inform local residents of our plans and how it will affect them. We will be issuing flyers with basic details and contact information on to people living nearby and are aiming to talk personally to the people with houses backing onto the site.

With the work we've already put in, this project will hopefully be up and running before the summer is out, and the local community will continue to benefit from it. But the more help we get, the more effective our efforts will be, and the more people can gain from this.

If you have any comments, ideas or suggestions about this project please contact Thornhill Plus You using the online form here who will pass your comments onto the Dumbleton Park committee.