PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Planners for the proposed Springside pump track have presented lower-cost designs and are asking for more help from the city.

While maintaining its support, the Parks Commission emphasized that the project was brought to them in 2020 as a donation. Still, they are willing to up the collaboration.

"We've supported this and if you're asking us to take the initiative to drive it forward, that's different than where we were," Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said, adding that the initiative started strong and has since then faded.

Alison McGee, president of the Berkshire Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association, said she did not have true collaboration from the city to match her effort and got burnt out.

"I want to respectfully but firmly argue that collaboration is not an initiative of one but the initiative of more than one," she said.

"So yes, I have heard that there is the captive support from the city of this project and I know that you have given us some guidance as to what you need from us but I would argue that it is not collaboration and guidance on how we can continue to work on it and the drop in initiative that you are saying you saw was, quite honestly, was burnout on my part because the steps that I was being asked to take were challenging and not as well informed as you might think that they were."

In May, the planners asked for more time to re-evaluate the project and fundraise. The park's 2021 design increased by at least 50 percent, largely due to the price of asphalt. It was last quoted for $400,000, making the new price $600,000 or more.

McGee and Garrett Pulley of the Berkshire Mountain Bike Training Series returned with $400,000 and $250,000 design alternatives and a question about the city's support. Pulley said the amount of work McGee has put into this proposal has made her an expert on the topic but she needs some bureaucratic guidance and help with funding.