The Fleurieu Coast Pump Track will deliver a public, asphalt surface pump track. Young people will be at the centre of the participatory design process. The project will support young people to become active change-makers in the community, giving them the opportunity to:

• design and drive a local initiative
• increase opportunities to develop leadership skills
• have their voices heard.

The pump track will provide a variety of conditions for all wheeled sports (bikes, scooters, skateboards, roller skates), for all skill levels and ages. Located at the Lion’s Youth Park, it will complement and expand on the current youth infrastructure and broaden the activities available for different age groups and abilities who are not catered for by the existing facilities.

Youth will have an active role in the planning phase through to completion. A participatory design process will engage our youth in critical thinking about public space and specifically to identify their needs and design requirements for the pump track. A series of design-led workshops will identify structural elements tailored specifically to our youth amplifying the voices of young people and including them in decision making. Hands-on trail building opportunities under the guidance of a professional track builder will provide real-world experience for our youth in developing recreational assets.

The Pump Track provides a place for youth to engage in positive interactions through recreation. During the recent consultation for Council's 2030 Strategic Plan, the Pump Track was identified as a priority project by our youth.

Project achievements

This project faced some initial difficulties. COVID-19 made it hard to find contractors able to complete the project on time and within the budget.  However, the City of Yankalilla provided extra funding and resources and this project was completed at the end of October 2021.

The complete Fleurieu Coast Pump Track is a significant piece of infrastructure for the youth in the City of Yankallila.

The track will deliver a public, asphalt surface pump track, providing a variety of conditions for all wheeled sports (bikes, scooters, skateboards, roller skates) and for all skill levels and ages.

Located at the Lion's Youth Park it complements and expands the youth infrastructure and broadens the activities available for different age groups and abilities not previously catered.

The project involved a total of 120 program participants, of which 72 aged between 12-24 years were from remote regional areas.

Taking an active role in leading this project offered leadership opportunities to local youth including:

• setting and achieving goals (identifying and conveying design elements to the pump track builders)
• positive communication (amongst their peers, meeting with State politicians and  Councillors)
• enhancing confidence (being involved in a community project from inception to launch).

Project outcomes

Outcomes were evaluated using attendance and participation numbers during the consultation and design phase to evaluate participation and reach.

The project, from design to completion, has improved social and emotional wellbeing and resilience through:

• promotion of the exploration of culture for, by and with young people. The participatory process has supported youth contribution to the creative and cultural life of the district
• relationships developed with and between local youth through a shared common goal. From a council perspective, this collaboration sets the foundation for long-term outcomes and engagement. Individually, these relationships can help people feel comfortable about approaching each other and relying on one another for support
• enhanced development and capacity building opportunities for youth. Their contribution from the initial design stage to now planning for the launch event provides youth volunteers with practical experience and skills.

The project has helped to address barriers to participation brought about by social and geographic disadvantages.

• site visits have been coordinated through the school using their bus and parental approval processes
• partnerships have been formed with Southern Riders Committee - a community group with an interest in skateboarding, BMX, mountain bike and scooter riding, which is supported by a neighbouring council. Since COVID-19, this group has been meeting online
• workshops have been held in multiple locations and carpools arranged for older youth. The pump track will help to address several priority areas in the Regional Health Action Plan (Yankalilla), that supports community initiatives that enable youth to connect, engage in community activity and healthy lifestyle opportunities.

Improved facilities that appeal to a new cohort will ensure the Lion's Youth Park remains relevant to the youth community and a hub for informal recreation within the district.

Post completion, a combination of data collection methods is intended to be used to evaluate the project's impact, including demographic and visitation numbers and frequency of visits to measure reach.

Interviews and informal interactions and observation will contribute to the assessment of relationships with and between youth.

With the consultation complete and the pump track constructed, the following outcomes were identified:

• council has reconnected with youth who contributed to the Strategic Plan and Trails Strategy and established connections with youth not previously engaged with the council
• youth participation in meetings with Elected Members, politicians and design and construction contractors, has promoted critical thinking and engagement and provided the opportunity to design and drive a local initiative
• the post-completion survey will further evaluate the medium to longer-term outcomes. This has not yet been achieved.

Ongoing learnings and collaborations

The council will be responsible for the regular maintenance and upkeep ensuring that the legacy of the Yankalilla Pump Track will be felt by the community for years to come.

It is envisaged that this accessible space available for youth to ‘hang out’ in will be used by both Council and the community for future events and activities.

This project has enhanced Council's connection with the Youth Advisory Committee. Their involvement from inception to completion (and then launch) has involved them in identifying 'what' they want in their community and has given them practical experience in 'how' it can be achieved. Council has continued its allocation for a 0.2FTE Youth Officer and the YAC membership has grown over the past six months.

Through this project, Council has established a strong relationship with the youth involved in Fleurieu Trails. This is a group that has previously been disengaged with Council and as a result of the new partnerships Council are now able to tap into this segment of the community in relation to other programs and activities.

Internally, the relationship between the Works team and the Community team has strengthened and have been actively involved in preparing the site for the Pump Track, working with young people and hearing their aspirations for recreational and leisure activities.

The Community team has also worked closely with YAC to identify other activities and opportunities arising from this partnership.

Further relationships arising from this project has been the establishment of new partnerships with:

• Southern Riders Committee, a group of young people aged 8-25 years with an interest in skateboarding, BMX, mountain bike and scooter riding, supported by our neighbouring council, City of Onkaparinga.
• Fleurieu Trails - we have introduced this wholly community-based group to a local landholder who has invited the group to build trails on his land.
• ForestrySA - as a direct result of the trail building workshops, ForestrySA had an additional six members sign up to their Friends of the Forest.
• The Council partnered with the City of Victor Harbor and the Office of Sport Recreation & Racing to deliver a trail building workshop, attracting participants from regional and metropolitan areas.
• The development of tracks and trails in our district, including the Pump Track has initiated conversations about establishing more youth fitness activities including a local Park Run and reintroducing Run Yank Run, a youth mentor running project held 2013-2015.

This project has received funding from the Department of Human Services Youth-led COVID-19 Recovery Grants and administered by the Local Government Association of South Australia.

Project images