About The Philly Pumptrack

The Philly Pumptrack is situated on land owned by the city of Philadelphia and managed by the Friends of Philly Pumptrack at Parkside Evans in partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The park is free and we maintain a donated fleet of high-end SE BMX bikes and Bern helmets that are freely available to visitors. Simply show up, sign a waiver, grab a bike and a helmet or bring your own and jump on the track.

More importantly, become a member of our Dig to Ride community. The Philly Pumptrack exists solely through monetary donations by individuals and social impact organizations and a dedicated group of volunteers who maintain the tracks. The Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department provides two part-time, summer staff who provide ongoing supervision from noon to 6pm on days when the track is open from early May through the end of October.

History: Building The Pumptrack

In fall 2010, Heidi Grunwald, Kenn Rymdeko and Harlan Price met with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Director of Strategic Initiatives, Ed Fagan. The trio proposed a pumptrack in Philadelphia, a small, dirt course designed for bicycling without pedaling. The proposed track would include a trail system of raised banks, smooth mounds for pumping, and crater-like bowls.

Grunwald and her partners raised over $41,000 and overcame numerous obstacles to create what is now the Philly Pumptrack. The Fairmount Park Conservancy, Philly’s non-profit park champion, contributed $6,000 through two grants for programming and physical improvements to help the Pumptrack get started.

The project took three and half years to put a shovel in the ground, that time included track siting studies, community engagement, site selection, site surveys, track and landscape design, and fundraising. Key organizations that made the Philly Pumptrack happen include Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, People for Bikes, Central Bucks Bicycle Club, Dellavalle Designs, Wells Appel, the Maguire Foundation, Advanced Sports Inc, Bike Therapy, Powercorps, 1-800-Haul-Out, and the Fairmount Park Conservancy.

Jim Dellavalle, the track designer and builder, inspires a community-building culture that brings youth and families together to volunteer, learn about storm water management, and learn new biking skills in a safe and supportive environment. Jim’s designs include a focus on community, learning and sustainability.