Casal do Marco pump track

The Parque Urbano do Casal do Marco in Aldeia de Paio Pires opened on 14 June 2026, and its centrepiece is the first pump track in the Seixal council area. The mayor, Paulo Silva, and the parish council opened it with a brass band, taekwondo displays and a cycling demonstration by riders from the local cycling club, and children on BMX bikes, inline skates and scooters were among the first to try the track.

The park is free and open to everyone. It was designed with local residents, who were asked what they wanted before the plans were drawn up and then saw the design at a public forum. The parish council president said she expected the pump track to be a place of “fun, learning and sport for many children and young people”.

A pump track is a closed loop of rolling bumps (rollers) and banked corners (berms). The trick is that you don’t need to pedal or push. Riders pump their arms and legs as they go over each bump, pressing down on the back of it to gain speed, and lean into the banked corners to carry that speed round. Children usually pick it up by feel after a few laps. It builds balance and bike handling in a way that riding along a flat path doesn’t, and it is a common first step before a BMX track or skate park.

Trucks and Fins, an international skate park directory, describes the track as a professional-grade asphalt circuit of about 1,000 square metres, built in 2025 by A|Park (formerly Academia dos Patins). Its layout is a technical sequence of berms, rollers and doubles (two bumps close together that confident riders can jump across). The same listing notes that the track is lit.

The council says the track is meant for bicycles, scooters, skateboards and skates. That makes it one of the more flexible places to take a mixed group: one child on a balance bike, another on a scooter and a teenager on a BMX can all use it, although they should take turns rather than ride against each other.

• Toddlers and preschoolers can roll gently over the rollers on a balance bike, with a parent walking alongside at quiet times. The playground next door gives them somewhere else to go when they’ve had enough.
• Children of about 5 to 8 on a pedal bike or scooter will get the most out of it. They can learn to pump and feel themselves speeding up without pedalling.
• Older children and teenagers can link the rollers, try the doubles and ride the berms fast. A 1,000 m² asphalt track is big enough to keep a BMX or mountain-bike rider busy for a while.

The whole park covers 10,130 square metres of green space between Rua Deolinda Quartim and the EN10 road. As well as the pump track, it has:

• a walking path with a fitness circuit of 12 exercise stations
• outdoor gym equipment
• seating areas and street lighting
• more than 60 newly planted trees, with more planting still in progress along the main road

The council says the park sits right beside the playground (espaço de jogo e recreio) that was already there, so younger siblings have their own space. The design uses recycled materials and permeable ground so that rain soaks in.

No rules on helmets or pads were published when we checked, but a helmet is sensible on any pump track, and gloves, knee and elbow pads help beginners. Ride in one direction, like everyone else, and don’t stop on the track. Watch small children closely when older riders are on the loop, because they come round fast. The trees are young, so there is little shade yet; on a summer afternoon the asphalt gets hot, and an early morning or evening visit will be more comfortable.

This is a neighbourhood park, not a destination with a café and toilets on its published list, so bring water and snacks. The EN10 runs along one edge, so the park is not quiet. As a brand-new track, it may be busy at weekends while everyone tries it out.

The Parque Urbano do Seixal in Alto Dona Ana has an adventure play course and views over the bay. Children who love wheels can take the next step at BA Motopark, where off-road motorbike lessons start at age four. For a swim afterwards, the Piscina Municipal de Amora is in the same council area.

Is the Paio Pires pump track free?

Yes. It is in a public council park with no entry charge.

Can children use scooters on the pump track?

Yes. The council says it is for bicycles, scooters, skateboards and skates.

What age is a pump track suitable for?

Children who can ride a bike or scooter confidently will enjoy it most, from about five upwards. Younger children can try it on a balance bike at quiet times, with a parent close by.

Is there a playground?

Yes. The new park is right next to an existing playground.

When did it open?

The park and its pump track opened on 14 June 2026.