Community activists putting pedal to metal in £175,000 Killin pump track fundraising

Daily Record

02-05-2025

The £175,000 track project aims to build the facility both for the benefit of locals, but also to draw visitors and biking enthusiasts to the area.
Community activists in Killin are hoping individuals and organisations will galvanise behind their efforts to get a much anticipated £175,000 pump track project over the line.
Killin Sports and Recreation Hub, established in 2022, are working alongside the Killin and Ardeonaig Community Development Trust (KAT) and Killin Community Council (KCC) to raise funds in order to complete the project.
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The track is expected to be not only a popular facility for locals, but could also draw visitors and biking enthusiasts from much further afield.
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Chris Kane, MP for Stirling and Strathallan, has committed his support.
The Hub was set up with the aims of regenerating sports and recreation infrastructure and social inclusion within the Killin area. It recently received a vote of congratulations from Stirling Council for its work regenerating Killin's tennis courts/MUGA pitch and marking 70km of local trails.
Now it has its sights set on creating a Pump Track for the local area, which will provide a vital recreational space for their youth and serve as a boost to local tourism, with the nearest equivalent facilities currently over 40 miles away, with no public transport links.
Thanks to incredible community efforts, they have successfully raised £93,000 to date, with nearly £10,000 being raised locally.
However, for them to finish this project, they still require £57,000 in additional funds.
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Chris Kane MP said: 'I am very much aware of the demand for greater recreational facilities and cycling provision in Killin.
'I would like to commend the work of the sports hub, the community development trust and the community council on their work already to get this project off the ground.
'I am committed to promoting the fundraising efforts of the project and supporting them as much as I can in my capacity.'
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David Fettes from Killin Sport and Recreation Hub said: 'The project has been led by Killin Sports and Recreation Hub with great support from Chris McKenna from Active Stirling.
'We are partnered with the Killin community council and the Killin development trust. We have received funds from Sports Scotland and FVL CLLD (Forth Valley and Lomond Community Led Local Development), and locally from Killin Sports and Recreation Hub, Killin and Ardeonaig development trust, Taymouth Castle and many individual small donations with pledges from various local clubs.'
They are currently putting applications in to the Community Spaces Improvement Grant and the FVL CLLD funding programme, however, they are encouraging individual donations as well.
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The new track, within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, will be accessible from the National Cycle Network Route 7 and local mountain bike trails.
There has been strong community engagement with the project, including the design of the new track and club branding carried out in conjunction with Killin Youth Group.
The project aims to remove one of the key barriers to taking part in sport and physical activity in rural areas by offering a free accessible venue at the heart of Killin.
Anyone who would like to donate to the project, can visit their Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/killinsportshub.