A state-of-the-art pump track in Kidsgrove hailed the best in the country has officially opened.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council formally unveiled the facility – based at Newchapel recreation ground – on Friday 18 June following the completion of construction work by internationally renowned track builders, Clark & Kent Contractors from Ashley.

The large pump track, suitable for all ages and abilities, features a number of elevated starting platforms and a host of jumps and obstacles – supplemented by directional arrows – including berms, rollers, angled rollers, table tops, doubles, a shark fin and a left-handed hip jump. The design, developed in consultation with residents, maximises momentum with minimal pedalling using wheeled equipment such as BMX bikes, rollerblades, scooters, skateboards and wheelchairs.

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Young people can have their say on initial plans for a pump track in Kidsgrove.

The Council is carrying out a short consultation exercise to gauge opinions on a proposed design for the new facility at Newchapel recreation ground.

A pump track is a looped sequence of rollers and banked turns and is designed to maximise momentum with minimal pedalling using BMX bikes, rollerblades, scooters, skateboards and wheelchairs.

The Council is earmarking almost £100,000 of the £750,000 advanced Town Deal funding it has received to improve residents’ health and well-being in the town – for capital projects delivered by the end of March – on the upgrade.

Clark and Kent Contractors, a specialist cycle track design and construction firm based in Ashley, has put together a proposal suitable for all abilities and types of track riding. It features three elevated starting platforms and a host of jumps and obstacles.

More information is available at https://bit.ly/2NX3sOw. Comments and ideas can be submitted until Friday, 19 February. Officers are also contacting local schools to communicate with their pupils.

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The long-awaited upgrade to the station is now underway again after long delays.  The underground voids left by coal mining are being filled with grout to stabilise the ground before the new passenger bridge and lifts are installed.

The North Staffs Community Rail Partnership thanks Network Rail for working closely with the Friends of Kidsgrove Station to ensure minimal disruption of the station gardens.

Do you work with creative young people?

We would like to refresh the art work at the front of Kidsgrove Station.  Please get in touch if you would like to work with us on a young people’s project on the theme of railway safety, accessibility/inclusion or environmental sustainability. Contact us at northstaffscrp@stoke.gov.uk or phone 07879 115698.

Kidsgrove  Library is scheduled to re-open on Monday 27^th July as part of Staffordshire County Council’s phased reopening of their 43 libraries which began on Monday, 6^th July.

Gill Heath, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member responsible for Libraries, said: “This is not a return to normality, but a welcome step towards it as we begin to carefully reopen much-loved library buildings. Hand sanitising, hygiene and social distancing arrangements will all be in place and if Personal Protective Equipment is necessary it will be distributed to staff and volunteers where appropriate. We will be running an ‘order and collect’ service to start with – so no browsing – and there will be limited numbers of visitors allowed in at any one time.”

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Work preparing the site for a new Lidl store has seen the demolition of Kidsgrove Working Mens Club on Liverpool Road.

The Working Mens Club, which was founded in 1945 and in its heyday had over 800 members, will relocate to the Masonic Hall.

The new store, which is expected to be completed for winter, could create up to 40 new full and part-time jobs for local people and would include a dedicated in-store bakery, longer style tills with dual packing, a customer toilet, baby changing, and ample parking for both cars and bicycles. 

As well as returning affordable community leisure to Kidsgrove our plans very much focus around making the sports centre a true community hub. With this in mind, we were delighted to receive the support from Port Vale professional footballer Cristian Montaño who is so passionate about mental health. This is something which we are keen to work with him and other groups to help support & develop programmes within the centre.

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