CELEBRATIONS will be held in St Austell on Thursday (May 28) to mark the official opening of a facility that is proving popular with young people.

Events will take place between 10am and 3pm at the Meadows Park, off Boscoppa Road, near Bishop Bronescombe School, as the Meadows Pump Track is officially launched by St Austell Town Council.

Such tracks can be enjoyed by users, mostly youngsters, on bicycles, skates, skateboards, scooters, balance bikes and BMX bikes. The track comprises a circuit of rollers, banked turns and features designed to be ridden by riders “pumping” – generating momentum by up and down body movements.

The council expects that the track, which has been in use for several months, will attract users from across Cornwall, saying the facility offers riders of all ages a fun, safe and high-quality space to enjoy.

A spokesperson for the council said: “The official opening of the pump track at the Meadows Park marks an important milestone for the community and all those involved in bringing the project forward.

“It is encouraging to see the facility already being enjoyed, and this event is an opportunity to recognise the value of the investment, celebrate the partnership behind it, and showcase everything the space has to offer.

“We look forward to welcoming families, young people and local organisations for a fun and active day celebrating this exciting addition to the park.”

The day will feature stalls and free activities from local organisations. There will be bike tricks and workshops from Fusion Extreme, Dr Bike sessions with the Cornwall Bicycle Project and refreshments available from the Chubeez Cafe.

The track was built by contractor Forte. The town council received a grant of £86,000 from Cornwall Council towards the scheme and committed £10,000 in match funding.

Similar tracks exist in Par, Roche and Bodmin.