Work to begin on Ellon Wheel Park this summer

Ellon Wheel Park Group has made a successful bid to secure funding for a community led project to deliver a wheeled sport park in the heart of the town.

Ythan Cycling Club members, including youth squad athletes, with Gillian Martin MSP

Ellon Wheel Park Group has announced that it has received investment of £400,000 from Sportscotland’s Scottish Cycling Facilities Fund.

This additional funding means that the group can now start construction of phase one of the project. Construction of the wheel park will begin in August.

The new wheeled sport hub in Gordon Park will have three main activity spaces; a closed loop cycle circuit, a beginner pump track and a more advanced community pump track and will provide opportunities for mountain bikers, road riders and BMXers at all levels to take part and hone their skills.

The wheel park will be an open and inclusive facility, free to use, and will provide terrific cycling opportunities for people with disabilities and cyclists at all levels. The cycle circuit has been specifically designed with the help of wheelchair athletes and for the trishaws used by Cycling Without Age.

The investment from Sportscotland’s Cycling Facilities Fund is part of an £8M fund, made possible through a new £4M commitment from Scottish Government and £4M through National Lottery Funds, aimed at supporting cycling facility projects across Scotland.

This significant award from Sportscotland is on top of other funding from the Place Base Investment Programme Fund, the Rural Community Led Vision Challenge Fund, EB Scotland, a crowd funding campaign and massive support from people, businesses and organisations – Ellon Wheel Park Group has raised in excess of an incredible £750,000 for the wheel park.

Group chair, Colin Allanach said: “This is a huge step forward for the project and will allow us to get the first phase of the exciting new facility constructed for the people of Ellon and surrounding area. I am so pleased for our supporters and the hardworking team behind the project.”

“We will continue to raise funds for phase two, which is the building the skate park. If any individuals or businesses wish to support us for this next phase whether that is by financial investment or by joining the wheel park group we would be delighted to hear from them.”

To congratulate Ellon Wheel Park Group on its success, Gillian Martin MSP came along to the location of the new wheel sport hub in Gordon Park to catch Ythan Cycling Club’s youth squad in action during a training session.

She said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Ellon Wheel Park Group have secured further funding to set its wheel park project in motion, and especially excited for spades to be hitting the ground this Summer – the new facility will be an amazing facility for Ellon and the surrounding area.

“It was great to see Ythan Cycling Club’s talented young athletes training where the new facility will be built in Gordon Park, and excellent to speak with coaches and Ellon Wheel Park Group committee members – I congratulate the dedicated team behind this project and wish them every success moving forward.”