Region’s 1st ‘rollercoaster’ pump track opens at Kennewick park
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kennewick opened the Tri-Cities region’s first pump track at Vancouver Park.
- City funded the course with a $431,000 CDBG; $72,000 will fund turf.
- Riders of all ages, from BMX teens to skateboarders over 50, tested it.
At just 13, Trey Elison already has years of experience on bike tracks and BMX courses. He and a group of friends ride with Columbia Basin BMX, based near Horn Rapids Athletic Complex in Richland.
Elison said the new Vancouver Park Pump Track that officially opened Thursday in Kennewick is “nice and smooth.”
On a pump track, riders build momentum on rolling hills and banked turns, using a “pumping” energy instead of pedaling to move them along the course. The setup is popular among BMX bikers.
Sergio Villegas, vice chair of Kennewick’s Parks & Recreation Commission, calls it a “rollercoaster biking experience.”
The track was funded by a $431,000 Community Development Block Grant.
Brandon Lange, recreation manager for the city, previously told the Tri-City Herald that the compact footprint of a pump track made it the perfect fit for the three-acre park at the mouth of Zintel Canyon at 2025 W. 7th Ave.
American Ramp, a Midwest-based company, was the general contractor. Construction on the pump track began in early summer.
Skateboarding and biking
The track isn’t just for BMX riders.
John Sutton and Frank Ward also tested out the track on their skateboards Thursday. They’re part of a casual group of men over 50 who regularly ride.
Their usual hangout is the Columbia Park Skate Park. The group is looking forward to a new park where they can meet and shred.
Ward said he came equipped with soft, gummy wheels on his skateboard, which helps reduce the impact of bumps, jumps and flips. They also expect the track will get packed down as more riders use it, creating more resistance.
Ward started skateboarding with his son who first became interested in the sport seven years ago. Since then, it’s become a passion — he rides daily.
‘Milestone for the region’
Last year, the city requested responses to its Recreation Comprehensive Plan Survey and 85% were supportive of improving parks infrastructure.
“Over the past several years, numerous community members and local business owners have expressed a desire for a pump track facility in Kennewick,” Lange said. “This project addresses that need and represents a milestone for the region, as it is the first pump track in the Tri-Cities region.”
The track replaced some tennis courts at Vancouver Park.
“Its central location, surrounded by numerous single-family homes and apartment complexes within a one-mile radius, provides convenient and safe bike access for residents of all ages,” Lange previously told the Herald.
The park also features a repair station donated by Trek bicycle shop in Kennewick.
Vancouver Park is at 2025 W. 7th Ave. The park and track is open 6 a.m. until half an hour after sunset.
