Are you fully stoked on 2017 yet?

There’s normally a come down after Christmas and New Year, but I made sure that didn’t happen to me this year. The remedy was mountain biking at Bike Park Wales, which got me in the zone and ready for 2017.

Mountain biking

Many of you will know our next big milestone is securing a building. The current commercial property market is tough, but we have learned a lot from the time invested viewing sites, negotiating with letting agents, landlords and local councils.

At the start of January we made progress with negotiations on a site in Stockport. There’s still quite a way to go with due diligence and approvals but at this stage it’s looking positive. However, we know not to get our hopes up too soon and are continuing to pursue a number of other sites in Greater Manchester.

Viable business

Indoor bike parks have been a great success in America and now Europe. For sure, one of the hardest challenges is being the first in the UK to prove that we have a viable business. The mission we have set ourselves is driven by passion, vision and entrepreneurial spirit. We have had to learn about business, make sacrifices, mistakes and overcome many challenges to get to the stage we are at today.

Safe and secure facility

For me I want to see mountain biking grow even more by providing a base to learn, practice and have fun. I want to see people who have never tried mountain biking give it a go and provide a safe and secure facility for kids and teenagers. This extends to encouraging more women, over 55’s and disabled user groups to enjoy the indoor riding experience.

I strongly believe that Dirt Factory will provide many new opportunities and benefits to people, and if we can make a slight difference in society, then I will be satisfied, this is a big motivation for me. Once a building is secured, the community involvement potential is vast. There will be opportunities for community groups, young offenders and volunteers to get involved with creative projects to help build and create the bike park. Some volunteers will also be retained and employed to support the running of the facility.

Tremendous amount of support

I’m confident that 2017 will be the year we can secure a building, construct the bike park and open the doors. There has been a tremendous amount of support and lots of people getting in touch who sound just as excited as we are to ride inside.

I assure you we are continuing to work as hard as we can and do all within our capabilities to provide a world class experience for you. Please continue to be as stoked as we are, spread the word and always feel free to get in touch.

All the best

Dan