Southampton Sports Centre Report released

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/media/ehhp3bzu/outdoor-sports-centre-report-final.pdf

Seems quite positive for cycling and thankfully they are talking with the guys who currently maintain the Southampton Bike Park about the planned changes there.

ooooh, new cycling facilities sound like good additions to the area.

I had a quick scan and all looked very positive. What I couldn’t see was if the current bike park was in the discussion at all? I saw BMX and I didn’t even know there was a BMX track there, plus track cycling?

New stuff is basically the kids area on top of the old boating lake.

Mods to the Bike Park are basically improvements to the table tops and dual track. The surfaces will be maintainable and repairable by us and not need to call in the experts each time.

Not sure what the cyclo-cross features are. British Cycling put in a ‘woodland path’ through the trees behind the bike park, laid it with wood chips and used it once. It then grew weeds and mud and was basically abandoned but they seem to think this is a major investment that means they can have a big voice for all other bike stuff. The power of being an organisation rather than a team of people who just deliver stuff I guess.

Good news for all though I think. Lets hope they continue to listen and act accordingly

Love the bike park but just don’t get there enough. Wish we could pick it up and transport it to the bottom of the trails at QECP

Wish we could pick it up and transport it to the bottom of the trails at QECP

Just build your own. It is what I did. 🙂

Not sure what the cyclo-cross features are. British Cycling put in a ‘woodland path’ through the trees behind the bike park, laid it with wood chips and used it once. It then grew weeds and mud and was basically abandoned

If it’s what I’m thinking of it’s raced twice a year by the wessex league and the general area’s used at least twice a week by at least 1 local club for training/coaching

The races are each probably 400 entrants in all groups (admittedly 30 or so v young kids don’t ride that bit).  The bits mentioned are new though – mostly just looking for permission I’d imagine as crossers don’t need/want a manicured trail (or even wood chips really)

Just build your own. It is what I did.

If only there was that level of freedom. There is one going in at the moment via some contractors, we also started a new green/blue on Sunday, but the level of freedom you guys have with SBP is enviable 🙂

the level of freedom you guys have with SBP is enviable

It takes a little mind manipulation of the powers that be to get them to accept what we do. I worked harder on this at the start than the actual plans. Make it easier for them to say yes than no. Make it appear that you are removing their problems for them. Make it appear they are getting something for nothing. Make it so they cannot get the blame if it goes wrong.

Examples
Make it easier for them to say yes than no.
I have a fully costed plan here with a petition of over 1,000 people requesting this. It can be created at no expense to you within 6 months and the ongoing maintenance costs will be negligible. Would you like us to proceed with the planning or are you going to explain in public why you are refusing this?

Make it appear that you are removing their problems for them.
This is perfectly aligned with your stated policy regarding public use and community involvement so will allow you to tick off those from your Must Do list at a stroke.

Make it appear they are getting something for nothing.
This entire project is funded, created, managed and maintained without any resource or financial requirements from you.

Make it so they cannot get the blame if it goes wrong.
It is environmentally positive and with all materials being site sourced, the worst that could happen is that it gets levelled in an afternoon with a bulldozer. The risk and outlay is from us and you just share the credit.

Fall back for real nay-sayers
Please can you explain to our local TV news why you are discouraging healthy activities and condemning young children to unfulfilled lives stuck indoors getting fat and doing drugs?

Scardypants – You may well be right. I think some bits of it are used but it certainly does not quite get the use and maintenance that was first suggested.

I am all in favour of the cyclo-cross and have worked with British Cycling, Hargroave, Gary fromGA etc to ensure the cyclocross could ride through and around the SBP so not trying to knock or belittle it.

I re-read my post after your comment and realised it sounded that way. Sorry.

Thanks WCA the park is your Magnus Opus

I will take all of the credit but you have to remember that although I dreamt up the idea and spent a year or so getting it off the ground, we started digging at Easter 2012 and I snapped my foot off that September and basically spent to following year in hospital / bed. In the weeks before the accident I had been grooming a young boy (in a good way) to act as a deputy and thankfully he stepped up to the task for the year I was away. On my return it seemed churlish to try and take back the lead role so I simply assisted and guided where I could.

The majority of the work you see is down to the efforts of Luis Arnold and the team he has led.

But, as I said, I am still happy to bask in the glory 🙂

I just started a new job in Southampton and quite excited to try the bike park (although maybe when the weather improves( I think its about a 15 min ride from the office for peak lunchtime stupidity.

It is a bit ‘moist’ at the moment but it does dry quickly. Good fun for a lunch time play. Lots of variety and always evolving.