Facebook seems to be having issues today. Sadly we were unable to rally enough volunteers (2) to open the track today so we will be closed Saturday, July 1st. We WILL be open tomorrow. To sign up to volunteer with us see the Signup link.  Signup

PhillyPumptrack is Hiring for 2017 Season

See attached job description for details. Personnel must be 18+, live in the city of Philadelphia, pass a drug test and background check. 35 Hr/Wk. $10.88/hr. April 1 - Nov 1. Send resumes to phillypumptrack@gmail.com. For questions call Kenn at 610-659-4430.

PHILLY PUMPTRACK - JOB DESCRIPTION(S)

Do you like working with autonomy and enjoy being outdoors? Would you like working in a park setting with families, kids and the occasional sports professional? Do you think sweat equity is a great way to improve the community? Do you like bikes?

If so, working at the Philly Pumptrack for the 2017 season might just be the perfect job for you!

The Philly Pumptrack is an earthen bicycle track and part of the Philadelphia Park and Recreation department, connected to the Parkside – Evans Recreation Center located at 5300 Parkside Avenue.   We cater to youth and families and offer loaner bikes and helmets - free of charge - and is an ideal place for riders to learn bike handling skills in a safe controlled environment.

The team at the Philly Pumptrack is responsible for a wide variety of responsibilities that keep the employees engaged throughout the day. Track is open from 12pm-8pm, 7 days a week, unless weather closes the track. The track sits behind a locked gate and has a locked container where all of the tools and bikes are stored. You can find us at www.phillypumptrack.org or on Facebook as Philly Pumptrack.

The day begins with opening the track. Job duties associated with opening include:

·        Setting up a registration table

·        Erecting pop up tents

·        Filling drinking water coolers 

·        Arranging the bicycle and helmet fleet and performing a safety check on each of the BMX and mountain bikes

·        Staging hand tools to be used by staff and volunteers to work on the track and/or rain gardens

·        Setting up the water system including hoses and a generator for water supply to the track

·        Morning maintenance or un-tarping of track in cases where poor weather necessitates tarping. 

Normal operating tasks include:

·        Registering visitors and verifying identification

·        Fitting helmets

·        Explaining track riding protocol, teaching of basic skills

·        Course marshalling of beginner and advanced tracks

·        Care of plants, grass, and track surface

·        Simple to advanced bicycle maintenance/repair

Our employees work with a large volume of children, and their parents, therefore a high level of patience and conflict resolution skills are paramount to success in this role.

Applicants must have the following characteristics:

·        Service mentality to park visitors

·        The ability to lift up to 30 lbs regularly

·        Work on their feet for an entire shift

·        Can physically endure high summer temperatures outdoors

·        Applicants with bicycle maintenance skills (mechanical ability), or landscaping experience are highly preferred.

Additional and Optional job duties for a Philly Pumptrack include:

·        Social media and communications for the track

·        Assist with event planning

·        Grant writing with oversight from Track Project Coordinator

·        Community relations and liaison to PPR and the Bike Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

The position is a seasonal position, beginning as early as April 1, 2017 and can last through mid November, weather dependent. The applicant will work alongside a second seasonal employee and the Friends group volunteers. The position entails working up to 35 hrs/wk on average and pays $10.88/hr. Normal hours for seasonal staff are 12 noon – 6pm M – F but we are interested in staff who may be able to cover occasional weekend days and perhaps work Tuesday – Saturday. In addition, staff will be asked to cover Parks and Recreation Be Outdoors camps that attend the pumptrack for 2 hours during the week occasionally.

Applicants must live in the city of Philadelphia and be able to pass background check, drug test and physical.

Interested parties should send an email to phillypumptrack@gmail.com. We will begin interviewing on March 1, 2017 and continue until positions are filled.

PHILLY PUMPTRACK PRESS RELEASE

February 8, 2017

On Saturday, February 4, 2017, the Friends of Philly Pumptrack held a well-publicized open public meeting in Philadelphia to discuss the direction of the friends group. Topics covered included a recap of the 2016 season, finances, fundraising opportunities, the opening date for 2017, future projects on the track and on the nearby Crossbow Trail.

A suggestion was made to formalize the Board of Directors and elect a President and 2 Vice Presidents, as well as establish several committees to better utilize the skills of the volunteer board. Board membership was voluntary with the stipulation that the Board Members were required to assist in staffing the Philly Pumptrack 2 days per month through the open season (May – October) and participate in at least 2 committees.

These suggestions were brought to a vote and were unanimously passed by the attendees of the meeting.

We are pleased to present the Board of Directors for 2017:

• Heidi Grunwald, PhD (President & Co-founder)
• Candice Eberhart (Vice President)
• Curtis Bowman (Vice President)
• Chris McLeer
• Kenn Rymdeko (Co-founder)
• Kirk Fromm
• Michael Kasama
• Mia Mengucci
• Nick Saputo
• Stephen Hawkins
• Ray Louder (Nominated in absentia)

The following committees were established by vote, but the Board of Directors are open to other possible committee suggestions. To participate in a committee, Board membership is not required. The committees unanimously created are as follows:

·         Social Media & Outreach Committee: Focused on communication and outreach to the constituents and users of the park.

o    Mike Kasama – Committee Chair

o    Kirk Fromm – Co-Chair

o    Curtis Bowman

o    Chris McLeer

o    Stephen Hawkins

·         Maintenance Committee (aka Trailwork): Focused on volunteer days, track maintenance and upkeep of the facility.

o    Chris McLeer - Committee Chair

o    Kenn Rymdeko – Co-Chair

o    Dan Mercer

o    Nick Saputo

o    Curtis Bowman

·         Environmental Committee: Focused on ensuring the track makes every reasonable effort possible to minimize environmental impact of the surrounding area, including flora and fauna impact.

o    Mia Mengucci - Committee Chair

o    Stephen Hawkins – Co-Chair

·         Events Committee: Focused on organizing and hosting events for a superior guest experience. All members of the Board of Directors are expected to participate in this committee.

o    Nick Saputo – Committee Chair

o    Candice Eberhart – Co-Chair

o    Mike Kasama

·         Fundraising Committee: Dedicated to raising funds for operating expenses of the park and events.

o    Heidi Grunwald - Committee Chair

o    Candice Eberhart

o    Curtis Bowman

·         Steering Committee: Designed to be comprised of cross-sector community and industry partners representative of the relevant network that provides strategic direction for the Philly Pumptrack and champions its facility and volunteer work. The Board will be revitalizing the Steering committee in the near future. 

More information about the Board of Directors and the Committees will be made public on the website (www.phillypumptrack.org) and through the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/phillypumptrack/).

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Philly Pumptrack: www.phillypumptrack.org

To donate directly to the Philly Pumptrack: https://bicyclecoalition.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/pumptrack

The community thanks those that have volunteered to be part of the Board of Directors for 2017!

Congratulations! 

SAVE THE DATE Sunday 10/30/16 - A Hallow's Eve 3rd Annual Poker Run. Start and Finish at the Pumptrack riding the Belmont Plateau Trails. This is a fundraiser for "The Fence" around the Pumptrack. More details to come. $30/rider lunch included. Join us for some trail love and help us raise some funds.

Fence-Raiser! Help us raise funds to build a fence. This will allow us to begin giving free loaner bikes to our kids again.

Win this helmet!

Philly Pumptrack has launching a Fence-Raiser! Help us raise funds to build a fence. This will allow us to begin giving free loaner bikes to our kids again.

See link to raffle or sponsor 10' of fence HERE!

https://go.rallyup.com/39a174

OPEN 12-6pm but BRING YOUR OWN BIKE

Dear Philly Pumptrack enthusiasts,
We are now open from 12-6pm every day weather and volunteer permitting. Check Facebook for Hours Daily. We are currently a BRING YOUR OWN BIKE park only until we can get an 8' fence built. We will be launching a fundraiser this coming week. Stay tuned.
Thanks for your patience.
Philly Pumptrack Team