A GRAND opening of East Lothian’s first specialist track for biking and skateboarding was well attended on Sunday.

Proposals for a pump track at Ormiston were developed by Friends of Ormiston Park (FOOP), which worked closely with East Lothian Council to attract funding and appoint Velosolutions, which specialises in designing and building tracks.

More than £90,000 was raised towards the facility from Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SUEZ) and sportscotland, as well as individual donations from community supporters – Access Sport granted £500 for the event itself.

The event kicked off at 3pm on Sunday and saw residents of all ages gathering to celebrate the track’s official launch.

The dedicated time slots for pre-school and primary aged children proved popular, with a range of skills and wheels on show.

Experienced riders, including BMX champion Ian Archibald, took to the pump track to show the crowds some of their elite skills.

Radio Saltire was also on site to broadcast live from the park.

A raffle with a wide range of prizes, including donations from Belhaven Bikes, took place in the afternoon.

The official ribbon cutter was chosen after Friends of Ormiston Park asked the community for nominations.

Wilma Gare, a member of FOOP, was chosen for her work and dedication to a number of community schemes.

Councillor Jim Goodfellow, cabinet member for community wellbeing, was in attendance and gave a speech thanking the Friends of Ormiston Park for their hard work.

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “The event provided the ideal opportunity to showcase the track and also to recognise and thank the Friends of Ormiston Park group who have worked tirelessly for almost five years to develop this fantastic facility for their community. The huge success so far is a testament to all their efforts and it will be appreciated for a long time to come. Our officers have been proud to work closely with them to develop the pump track.”