More than £2,000 paid in rent by a funfair to operate in Fitz Park this summer is to be used to complete an upgrade of the nearby BMX track next month.
Park trustees agreed to put the unexpected one-off sum of money towards the £10,000 cost of providing a new and more durable bound-surface for the bike track which opened after a lengthy fundraising campaign by local youngsters.
“It will last at least 10 years, rather than spending £1,400 every couple of years for a new surface,” councillor Sally Lansbury told fellow park trustees.
Most of the cost of the work had already been raised, including £2,000 in donations from both the Hadfield Trust and United Utilities’ legacies fund via Cumbria Community Foundation, plus £2,265 from the BMX group’s local fundraising and £1,000 from Cumbria County Council.
Turners Funfair had paid the trust £750 a week for its three-week stay in Fitz Park and trustees agreed that it was appropriate for this money to go to the free-to-use BMX track which is open all-year-round.
“It is a really positive thing to do,” added Mrs Lansbury, who said the remaining £485 could be found from the park’s reserves or events budget, unless the local Lions group could assist.
“I’m really delighted that the trust voted to use the windfall income from Turners Funfair directly for this local community project,” she said.
“I know that current users have lots of new ideas for the track once complete. The thanks really go to that determined group of young people that got it off the ground in the first place.”
Deputy mayor David Burn agreed, saying: “The income from the funfair was a windfall and it is an excellent idea to ringfence it for the BMX track.” Work is expected to start on the track on 5th October.
