A “pump track” may soon be the newest addition to outdoor recreation in Harvard, but environmental concerns have made finding the perfect location difficult.
Harvard residents Roger Cameron and Todd Currie first presented a proposal for the idea of a town pump track at the April 26 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, and discussions of the potential implementation of this project resumed this past week.
As Cameron and Currie explained, a pump track is a type of looped bike trail that is made of packed dirt, asphalt, or concrete and shaped into banked turns called “berms” and small hills called “rollers.” The track in Harvard would be made of dirt. Mountain bikers can ride on the trail by “pumping,” or using their body movement on their bikes to generate momentum as they ride up and down the slopes. “Pump tracks are a ton of fun,” Currie said. “Riders of all ages and capabilities can enjoy and benefit from a pump track … and it’s a really great workout.”
To construct the track, Cameron said that dirt would be brought in to build on top of the land instead of digging. Once the dirt is trucked to the location, volunteers would work to shape and pack the dirt by hand, Currie added. Cameron also explained that he and Currie are working with other pump track experts in town to design a track that will “conform to the natural [land] features,” building off the existing terrain in the woods and looping around trees to avoid clearing them. The design will be “fun, safe, and sustainable,” he said.
A bicycle pump track. (Photo by Jack Flanagan, www.flickr.com/photos/jackflanagan/)
Given its central location in town, the two suggested constructing the pump track on the parcel of land between Whitman Road and Pond Road that is under the jurisdiction of Parks and Rec. In particular, Cameron said that either lot 8 or 9 would be the best location for the track. Although this property is close to a town wellhead, the two lots are the farthest from it. Moreover, Currie asserted that only “downed limbs” would need to be cleared for the track, not trees.
Although this property is reserved for recreational use, its close proximity to wetlands and the Bare Hill Pond watershed, along with its value as conservation land, have raised concerns among proponents and opponents of the pump track alike.
At Monday’s Parks and Rec meeting, Ellen Sachs Leicher, the acting chair of the Community Resiliency Working Group, said that while she supports building a pump track, she believes it should be built in a more appropriate place. Sachs Leicher explained that the forest in this area is particularly important to carbon sequestration in the town and should be protected. Moreover, any runoff from this location will go into Bare Hill Pond at the bottom of the hill. She encouraged Parks and Rec to work with the CRWG and other environmental groups in town to strike a balance between preserving conservation land and implementing recreational projects like the proposed pump track.
Abutters object
Abutters of the proposed pump track include Tracy and Morey Kraus and Orla Baxter and Conor Dolan. Both couples described themselves as “avid mountain bikers,” and expressed support for a town pump track, but adamantly opposed building it on one of these lots. Morey Kraus explained that according to the MassWildlife habitat program, this area is a designated wildlife corridor because it is home to several endangered species, such as owls, foxes, fishers, lady slipper orchids, and old growth forest. “I’ll lend a hand, I’ll bring a shovel, I’ll chip in any way I can to build a pump track in Harvard, but I just don’t think this is the spot for it given the endangered species,” Kraus said. Moreover, Baxter said that she and Dolan have built pump tracks in the past, and “it’s unusual to have one located in pretty much pristine forest.”
Dolan added that because of the proposed location on a steep hill in the forest and the significant size of the track, it would take a lot of hard work for volunteers to build and maintain the pump track in this location. It would also not be easy to access from Whitman Road, a private road maintained by its residents, he said.
Another big concern that arose at the Parks and Rec meeting is how track rules will be enforced. Cameron presented a draft of proposed guidelines, including stipulations such as the track is closed at night, helmets are required, alcohol and drugs are prohibited, all trash must be carried out, and parental supervision is required for children ages 12 and under. Beach Director Michelle Lauria noted that enforcing these types of rules is challenging enough at the town beach, even with stationed lifeguards and staff, and expressed concern that these guidelines would not be followed since the track would be unmonitored.
Cameron addressed these concerns at the meeting, explaining that the pump track would be built in an “environmentally conscious” manner, and that he would look further into establishing guidelines and a plan for maintenance at the site. Cameron and Currie were backed with support for constructing the track in this location by outgoing Parks and Rec treasurer Doug Thornton. Thornton said that since the property is under the jurisdiction of Parks and Rec and meant for recreational use, a pump track is one of the best options the commission has had for this land parcel. Parks and Rec Chair Bob O’Shea noted that the commission had been considering using the property for parking, but a pump track is also a good idea and would “not be a bad use” of the land.
Discussion ongoing
Parks and Rec has not yet voted to approve the pump track, but discussion of the project is continuing. Sachs Leicher and members of the Conservation Commission have said that an environmental assessment of lots 8 and 9 will be an important step in determining whether the land is usable for a pump track.
Town Meeting voted in 2020 to give Parks and Rec jurisdiction over the town-owned Bare Hill Pond Woods, abutting the pond and Whitman Road, and Harvard Park on Lancaster County Road. Parks and Rec Chair Bob O’Shea told the Press on Wednesday that if another town board can offer a piece of land to accommodate the track, he is “all ears,” noting that now, the commission has “only has two parcels to work with.”
