The Bristol BMX Legacy Programme

Building on the strengths of Bristol as a unique and growing cycling city, Access Sport is embarking on a programme to build five community BMX tracks in disadvantaged areas of Bristol, each with the ability to sustain a community BMX Club run by local volunteers.

Through a three-year programme starting in 2017 we aim to:

• Introduce 5,000 disabled and disadvantaged young people across Bristol to BMX cycling 
• Tain 30 new coaches and recruit and train 30 local volunteers, leaving behind a fully sustainable network of five thriving BMX clubs to ensure thousands more young people continue to enjoy BMX cycling from 2020 onwards.
• Access Sport will establish each BMX track and club with all the necessary equipment, recruit new volunteers and train people to become BMX coaches.  The resulting facilities will become local hubs, reaching out to engage local schools, community groups and charities to ensure thousands of deprived and disadvantaged local young people can benefit.

 

Access Sport’s Bristol BMX team taking shape

The Access Sport Bristol BMX team has started to take shape over the past 3 months. A BMX Development Manager, responsible for the day to day running of the programme has been identified and British Cycling has begun the recruitment of the full-time mobile Go-Ride BMX coach associated to the programme.
This coach will be responsible for delivery on the ground, working with schools, pupil referral units, special education needs etc. to reach the most disadvantaged young people in Bristol. Furthermore, Access Sport is working with the local County Sport Partnership, Wesport, and the Royal Foundation’s “Coach Core” programme to recruit a 16-24yr old apprentice to work alongside the full-time team members.

 

First of five new sites underway

Access Sport is delighted that the procurement process for the first community BMX track to be built as part of this programme has officially started. The new track will be built in the heart of Lawrence Weston (one of the top 10% most disadvantaged areas of the UK) adjacent to the Lawrence Weston Skatepark.

 

The procurement process will be managed by Bristol City Council and we are looking for a contractor that can utilise the existing BMX track footprint in Lawrence Weston to completely rebuild the facility and provide a BMX track that complies with the specifications required of a regional standard BMX racing track. These works will include:

• Supplying, laying and compacting MOT Type 1, top-soil, limestone dust track surface and asphalt to profile and form the new 227m long BMX race track and 74m long beginners pump track. This will include the creation of a BMX start-hill to be compliant with regional standard racing, including installation of a new automatic start-gate system
• Landscape all track surrounds, ensure effective drainage is in place to serve the track and the track is ROSPA compliant
• Ensuring a 5 year maintenance plan is included
• Supplying and installing a new 20ft x 8ft secure storage unit for the BMX club

What the future for Lawrence Weston Looks Like

The images below are from the recently renovated Brixton BMX track in Brockwell Park, Lambeth, London.

A very similar project was completed on this track, restoring it from a state of disrepair and dangerous design to a facility capable of hosting this year’s London Youth Games BMX competition (hosted on June 18^th, 2017).

A restored Lawrence Weston BMX facility will greatly improve the aesthetics of the site and attract positive, healthy use from local young people.

 

 Read Access Sport's news article Rebuilding Brixton