by Julie Gowel ·
Friday, June 12, 2026
From left, Kai Allen, Tristan Currie, Ryan Hopkins, and Suzie Allen clear brush to mark a trail for the pump track at Harvard Park. (Courtesy photo)
Things are about to get dirty for the volunteer-led organization installing a pump track in the woods behind McCurdy Track on Lancaster County Road. After four years of planning, efforts to clear the area to construct the pump track are underway, with the next phase requiring tons of clean fill to begin turning the idea into reality.
Hikers enjoying the trails in Harvard Park may have noticed the red, white, blue, and orange flags marking an area roughly the size of an athletic field in the woods. Their curiosity can be sated with the informational sign explaining the new feature coming to the park: the Harvard pump track.
The project is being built entirely by volunteers and will provide a dedicated space for mountain bicyclists to develop skills and ride recreationally. The track is a dirt trail system featuring rollers, or small hills, and banked turns, known as berms, that riders navigate by using body movements to generate momentum. Acton and Chelmsford are the two closest towns with pump tracks, but there are also tracks in Arlington, Topsfield, and Allston.
According to one of the project organizers, Todd Currie, the delineation of the trails with the flags marks the completion of the project’s first major phase, which included a site plan of the land required by the town. Bruce Ringwall, a Harvard resident and Partner at GPR Engineering Solutions in Ayer, provided the site plan pro bono for the project. Now, fundraising efforts are required to bring the track to life.
Currie said Harvard’s version will differ from a traditional circular pump track because the designers wanted to take advantage of the site’s natural elevation. Currie, along with Roger Cameron and Chris Fitzgerald, all Harvard residents and either current or former downhill mountain bike racers, came up with three downhill flow trails differentiated by ability level: beginner, intermediate, and expert. They also planned a separate climbing trail that riders will use to return uphill. A small push-bike area is also in the works for very young children.
“We started off by removing as much as possible,” said Currie in an interview with the Press at the track’s site. “Downed trees, debris … just to get an open canvas. Once it was all cleared, we were able to envision the different lines that we were hoping for.”
The project has substantial volunteer support. Three work days have been held so far, including one that drew approximately 30 volunteers to help clear brush, remove fallen trees, and prepare the site for trail construction.
“When I go pick my kids up at school every day, the amount of kids on mountain bikes [leaving school] is awesome,” Currie said. “I think it’s a really good time for this.”
With site preparation largely complete, the group is now focused on raising funds for the dirty work: about $10,000 of it, according to Currie. He estimated they will need “a few hundred yards” of clean fill, which translates to roughly 400 tons of dirt. Most of the money will go toward acquiring and transporting fill material.
Organizers recently partnered with the New England Mountain Bike Association, a nonprofit trail advocacy organization that supports mountain biking projects throughout the region. The partnership allows donations to be made through a tax-deductible fundraising platform.
Once funding is secured, Currie said they will buy the dirt, have it delivered to the parking lot at Harvard Park, and coordinate timing with volunteers so that all of it can be moved to the site in one weekend. Several local landscapers, excavation contractors, and experienced trail builders have already committed to assisting with the effort.
The beginner trail will be constructed first and will feature rollers and berms designed to help new riders develop confidence and control. More advanced trails will eventually incorporate larger features and tabletop-style jumps for experienced cyclists.
Currie said the goal is to have the fundraising platform ready by the end of this month, raise the funds in early July, and begin construction shortly thereafter. He hopes to complete the full project by fall.
Residents interested in supporting the project can learn more through the Harvard Pump Track Facebook page. Financial contributions, as well as donations of clean fill, will be accepted.
“It’s a great opportunity to get kids outside, off the tablets, off the TVs, get some exercise, and enjoy the outdoors,” said Currie.