A Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, construction company specializing in pump track builds is about to begin work at Shaw Place Park in Williamsport.

Bill Scott, city engineer, presented City Council with the proposal of $650,000 for Phase I construction to Artisan Concrete Services, Inc. Artisan does business in the name of Artisan Skateparks.

“They do work throughout the country,” Scott said. “They have done many projects with the city design consultant, which is Pillar Design (Studios) Group,” he said. Brad Siedlecki from Pillar Design Group was online at the meeting.

The work will bring an asphalt, and kind of a high-speed pump track with hills and high bank turns. It includes all of the earth work, and the stormwater management improvements.

The track received public input on its design choice from those who ride BMX bikes and other interested parties at meetings so that the design was what the community wanted to see.

It is called a pump track, a continuous, looping circuit of paved bumps (rollers) and banked turns (berms). It gets its name from the “pumping” body motion used to ride it – pushing down and pulling up over the features – which generates momentum so riders can move without having to pedal.

The pump track was funded through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, American Rescue Plan funds from Lycoming County and a match for the grant using Act 13 or natural gas impact fee funds from the city, he said.

Councilwoman Liz Miele asked Scott if the amount of Act 13 funds allocated will fit the bill who acknowledged it was within the scope.

This is exciting to see this moving forward,” Miele said, adding, “Thank you, Bill.”

Council President Eric Beiter asked Scott where exactly it would be located in the park.

It is where the softball field is, down in that corner, outfront by the parking lot.

“Will that creep into the multi-use football soccer field that is back there?” Beiter asked.

“No, it will not,” Scott said. “This is outfront.”

Scott also mentioned this is Phase I.

“We want to eventually find more funds, grant funds to do a Phase II, which would be an off-road skills course,” he said.