Exercising outdoors is important for the physical and mental well-being of the public. And while many parks have basketball courts or tennis courts, not all members of your community are interested in those common park amenities.
That’s why parks and recreation departments, and sports ministers across the globe, are looking into innovative park trends to keep their community engaged and active.
Pumptracks are a great option for those looking into these possibilities. We frequently respond to lots of inquiries about what it takes to bring a pumptrack into a community, and of course, how much it costs. If you’ve ever wondered these same things, this post is for you, and we hope it gets you and yours closer to your neighborhood pumptrack dream.
To estimate the cost of a pumptrack in your community you’ll need to determine:
- The space you intend to build the pumptrack on
- The size and design of the pumptrack
- What you want to use the pumptrack for
- The quality of materials you use for your pumptrack
Let’s walk through how each of these factors can affect the cost.
Determining the Foundation For Your Pumptrack
For the safety of your community, pumptracks can’t just be thrown onto any type of surface. Pretty much anywhere that is: flat, less than 4% grade, compact, with decent drainage will be fine. It’s best to install on hard surfaces, like concrete or asphalt so the track lays evenly, and the ground is less prone to erosion.
- If the space you are eyeing for a pumptrack doesn’t have asphalt or concrete, you’ll need to factor in the construction costs for laying a solid foundation before adding the pumptrack.
- If you’re pushing to place your pumptrack on a softer surface, like soil or grass, you’ll encounter additional expenses from the greater upkeep and maintenance costs than tracks placed on a firmer surface. To ensure the track is functioning properly and safely you will need to clean it more often and tend to things like the mud puddles that will form where the riders enter and exit the track.
To curb the costs of construction and maintenance, many communities opt to repurpose unused and underutilized spaces that already have a sufficient foundation. Just a few inspirational examples of just such locations:
- vacant parking lots,
- old sports courts(tennis, multi use games area, lacrosse, skating, etc.),
- and even dead spaces like under overpasses and high voltage power lines.
Spaces like these, where you already have a compact, inorganic surface like asphalt or concrete, you can simply install the pumptrack without any foundation costs at all.
Most jurisdictions will also require construction documentation and permission for anything that will be built new. Repurposing an existing space will also significantly reduce the time and cost involved in these procedures.
The Size and Shapes of a Pumptrack
As you can imagine, pumptracks come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. For example, PARKITECT has dozens of options, from a classic Speedring:
To a Tristar:
To the World Cup:
There are even advanced styles, like the ’sidewinder’ (just to name one):
The more complex your design, the more materials it will require, which will have a direct impact on the total cost of the track.
For example, PARKITECT’s basic Speedring starts at around €26'000. As the number of twists, turns, ramps, and transitions are added, the price will increase:
- Our midrange pumptracks are closer to €40'000.
- And the more complex tracks start closer to €60,000.
Additionally, PARKITECT’s pumptrack comes in the standard black colour. If your community wants to customize colours, add logos, or change any other design element on the pumptrack, it will come at an additional cost.
Shipping depends greatly on the size of the track and your location. For example, to get a Speedring delivered door to door in mainland Europe you can count on approximately $1'200, and roughly €4'000 to the Americas, Asia, and Australia. Within those estimates, places like: islands, mountaintops, middle-of-nowhere locations are obviously a little more pricy.
How Will Your Pumptrack Get Used?
How you intend to use your pumptrack can also affect the types of parts you’ll need to purchase.
For example, some parks departments and schools use their pumptracks for special events and like to divide the track into two separate tracks for head to head races. Other municipalities divide their tracks just to maximize its use as popularity grows.
If you plan to use the track in either of these ways, you’ll need to purchase X5s, which are transition ramps that eliminate the step from the track to the ground. These are an additional cost.
Want to learn more about the possibilities with pumptracks? Contact PARKITECT today!
How Long do Pumptracks Last?
The life expectancy of your pumptrack will greatly depend on the quality of pumptrack you purchase.
We use marine grade plywood bonded to our proprietary reinforced fiberglass high grip riding surface. This ensures our pumptrack is durable enough to withstand the elements and wear of public spaces, while being light enough to get transported to events. (For additional information about the benefits and drawbacks of different pumptrack materials, check out our blog about that here.)
Our products have withstood the test of time in some of the harshest climates: from the heat in the deserts of Dubai, to the snow of the Alps, to the cold of the Canadian and Icelandic winters.
Though higher quality pumptracks can be a larger investment upfront, the longevity will outpace a cheaper model. And, companies that stand by the quality of their product often offer warranties, too. For example, PARKITECT guarantees the structure for 5 years. However, many tracks we’ve put into the world are more than 10 years old and still going strong.
Want to take a pumptrack for a test run? Learn more about renting a track for your community. If you’re ready to learn more about making a pumptrack a permanent staple in your community, we’d love to provide you with an estimate.
