New 'pump track' at Creekside Park in Oakmont nearly complete, other projects planned for this year

Jul. 8—A new pump track at Creekside Park in Oakmont is nearly complete.

Borough Manager Scot Fodi said some landscaping with topsoil and sod installation are among the details left to be finished.

"We're moving in pretty good time," Fodi said July 7. "It's a rather unique thing to look at. It looks fun to ride."

Fodi walked the track earlier this month.

American Ramp Co. crews have been working on the site since mid-June.

The track, itself, is through Velosolutions, one of the major pump track companies in the world.

A pump track is a continuous loop of berms and mounds that bicyclists can ride on without pedaling. Its name comes from the pumping motion that riders' upper and lower bodies make as they ride around a track.

The asphalt track is a little more than 300 feet. It's on about an 8,100-square-foot site in the park.

Council plans to pay its first major bill related to the project July 19, an $84,500 invoice from American Ramp Co.

Tony Lascola, parks and recreation committee vice chairman, said it's worth every penny.

He was one of the test riders on the track the past few weeks.

"It is amazing," he said. "It's fast. The berms are perfectly dialed and it has great flow. There are multiple opportunities to transfer and land on another part of the track. You can double some of the rollers, take off in the air from one and land on the second roller.

"The beauty of a pump track is it can be as tame or as extreme as you make it. The faster you go and the harder you ride the more you can get out of it, or you can take it easy, keep your tires on the ground and roll through the whole thing."

The track will unofficially open after landscaping is complete. A grand opening is being planned for some time in August.

The best types of bikes for the pump track would be BMX or dirt jumpers. Riders will be required to wear helmets while on the track. Other safety gear such as gloves, solid shoes and knee and back protectors are recommended.

Riders are encouraged to maintain a safe distance between one another.

Modifications of the track or its features is strictly prohibited.

Council President Patricia Friday commended the recreation board for bringing this opportunity to the borough. She has not yet been on the track.

"It sounds like it's a nice amenity to be able to have in Oakmont," Friday said. "It's a tribute to them and their vision and to them as a group."

Recreation board member Jeremy Powers assisted in daily meetings and project planning.

Parks Superintendent John Gentile coordinated with construction crews for use of the park and water supply.

American Ramp Co. Superintendent Jesse Braden and his crew of about five or six from around the country did the heavy lifting.

More than 80 tons of asphalt was used in conjunction with the existing dirt and subspace material.

The project did not need to go out for bid because the company is an approved vendor through the state Department of General Services' CoStars program. CoStars is a cooperative purchasing program designed to help municipalities and other government entities save money when buying supplies and services.

Parking spaces were moved closer to the volleyball court to make room for the project.

The construction of new spaces is expected to go out for bid later this month.

The borough acquired permit approvals for the work from the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Allegheny County Conservation District.

Other Creekside Park upgrades include an expansion of a 1,470-foot walking/biking trail that is about 8 feet wide and made from crushed limestone. It was installed in the park in 2016.

Lascola said they hope to link the trail from the park to Dark Hollow Woods.

Oakmont received a $232,000 grant through the Commonwealth Financing Authority's Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program to help fund everything.

Other recreation projects include paving the part stone/part asphalt walking trail in the lower section of Riverside Park near the pavilions.

The work is estimated at around $8,000 and is projected to be awarded later this year.

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Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, mdivittorio@triblive.com or via Twitter .