What do y'all think, is 2021 the year for the replacement pumptrack?
Maybe. I keep waiting until something is confirmed to post an update, but I'm not sure there is anything truly confirmed until it happens, so here's where things are now. The access road and parking lot for the new trailhead are almost certain to be built this year; funding is in place, the plan is approved, and it is in the final stages of permitting. These things are never a sure thing until they are done, but construction should start relatively soon and be complete mid-summer.
That is the first step to getting the pump track built; we need access for equipment. We have substantial funding for the pump track, so that's not an issue; the size and design may change if we can raise more money, but we are in a place to make something happen. The main complication will be shepherding it through the municipal bid/build process, which it must go through since Middleton is providing funding. The issue centers on the fact that all of the pumptrack builders are design/build firms, and municipalities aren't too keen on that model; they prefer to have a design that they can put up for bid. This shouldn't stop it from happening, but it will slow it down. There are solutions to most of the issues, but they often rely on third parties and coordinating several people's busy schedules. Can we make it happen later this summer or in the fall? That's the goal, we'll see what we can do.
