Stoush in Grey Lynn Park

Questions are being raised over the location of a BMX pump track for Grey Lynn Park.

The Waitemata Local Board approved plans for the development for the track to be built at the Dryden Street end of the central Auckland park after the idea was raised by a member of the public.

The board’s chair, Shale Chambers, said they “could not say no [to the idea] when the plans were presented to them”.

“It’s a ready-made project. All they needed was the land and the money. It fits the bill perfectly for a community-led small build project,” Mr Chambers said.

The Grey Lynn Park Pump Track Society is now in the fundraising phase of the project and predicts the track will be ready by the end of the year.

The project is estimated to cost $150,000, and so far the society has raised $87,000.

Under Auckland Council’s ‘community-led small build projects’, the local board can contribute 20 per cent of the funds.

Paul Wacker and his two sons at the site of the proposed Grey Lynn Park BMX pump track. Photo: Andrew Hallberg.

Head of the Pump Track Society Paul Wacker said the community is supportive of the concept and a petition has received 437 signatures.

However, the plan has met with some resistance from the Grey Lynn Residents Association.

Head of the residents association Nicola Legat agrees that the community would benefit from the track, but is concerned other locations were not considered before the board decided on Grey Lynn Park.

“[The association] do not think it’s going in the right place and we don’t think enough effort has been put in to identify several other locations. . . maybe none of those other places are suitable, but they should have at least been looked at.”

Ms Legat suggested reserves in Sackville St or Frances St as alternatives.

There is already a pump track at Albany and one under construction at Birkenhead. 

Mr Wacker said the track will be a great pastime for teenagers.

“It will keep them busy and out of trouble.”

The proposed site borders part of a proposed cycleway through the park.

The 3m widening of the current footpath fits in with the council’s city wide cycleway rollout. 

Donations for the development of the Grey Lynn Pump Track can be made at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/greylynnpumptrack

(394 wds.)

By Andrew Hallberg

Interview with Paul Wacker –

Interview with Nicola Legat –

Context vision –

Sources:

Shale Chambers // Chair, Waitemata Local Board // 021 286 7111

Nicola Legat // Chair, Grey Lynn Residents Association // 021 958 887

Paul Wacker // Grey Lynn Pump Track Society // 021 272 8590