Olympia Bike Park

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Tumwater Update

Thursday the 12th I stopped at Tumwater City hall and had a nice conversation with Chuck Denney, Tumwater Parks and Recreation Director, about a bike park. Last year when Tumwater rewrote the long term parks and recreation plan they included a general plan for a combination BMX and skate park. Mr. Denney has visited the Dart dirt jumps on several occasions and had taken the initiative to find out if a general need for a bike park existed during the plan revision and included the ideal of a bike area into the skate park plans. He was exited that someone would take on the work of gathering data on potential users and bring riders together on forming a basic ideal of what the park needs and would look like. He indicated that out of the budget for the next couple of years that baseball, football, and soccer fields takes priority financially unless it can be shown that support is stronger for a bike and skate park. I'm hoping to use the CBC resources and cycling communities energy to show that support exist and to help find additional funding and professional design help. Tumwater has already chosen a site for a skate and bike park that oddly enough is where the Tumwater jumps were 10 years ago under the power lines across from Z St SE. Although the terrain is not right for wooded mountain bike use it will be great for a regional size Bike and skate park as it already has road front sidewalk improvements, room for a parking lot and access to water and sewage for building bathrooms. I have found other plots of land in Tumwater that are city owned that would make great short loop mountain bike trails and if support is shown the city is more than willing to listen.

Olympia Update.

Monday the 9th I had a meeting with city of Olympia Parks and Recreation Department. Johnathan Turlove set up the meeting for me. The purpose was for me to answer questions that Olympia had about what would a bike park look like? Who would use it? How would it be maintained? We went threw many scenarios ranging from an ABA or NBL track to a mountain bike freeride area to cyclocross or velodrome type riding. The city intern gave me advise on what type of information the club needs to gather to show the viability of a bike park, how to work within the guidelines of a city feasibility plan. They also let me know what needs to happen to get a bike park ideal integrated into the current review and issuing of Olympia's long term parks plan. Over all it was a very productive meeting. Olympia Parks knows a desire from many groups exist for more bike related facilities and activities and want to respond. It's up to us to provide the information and help need to make it happen.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Upcoming meetings

Attend a meeting:
Saturday, March 7th 3pm to 5pm Tumwater Library

Saturday March 14th 3pm to 5pm Olympia Library

Informational meeting and work shop on the topic of a bicycle park in the Olympia area. Come and learn what is going on in the process and give your input.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Meeting with Oly Parks.

Woooo Hooo! I have a meeting with Olympia Parks to talk about from both ends what would be needed to get a park going.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

links and Videos that show what is possible.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Great article about Bike Parks in The New York Times!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/travel/escapes/27adventurer.html?scp=9&sq=bike%20park&st=cse

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Possible Locations?

One of the big factors in trying to develop a bike park or bike features within an existing park is space. Olympia as about 13 undeveloped parks that have been acquired in the past two years. Several factors become important considerations when looking for a spot.

Accessibility. Being on a major bus route will be important. A large number of the regular users would be between the ages or 12 to 22 just like the Yager Park Skate Court. Those under 18 are likely to ride to the park or take the bus.

Facilities. Having the site close to restrooms and a water source will be important. Many of the riders will spend several hours riding in the area and may need access to restrooms and drinking water.

Openness and High Park Use Traffic. Location the bike features in a park with a fair amount of park user traffic and visibility will keep those using the features of their best behavior as well as eliminate the possibility of young users being harassed or harmed.

Given these criteria, I can think of one park that has not been developed as of yet and will have other activities that will appeal to the typical young user of a bike park.

Ward Lake
Ward Lake is a parcel that the city acquired off of Yelm Highway and plans to develop into a fresh water swimming access park. The park is approximately 10 acres and I feel would be an ideal host for a bike park area.

Attached is a photo of the property and possible bike related use. Keep in mind that the suggestions on the photo are just that. I have no ideal how far along the city is with it's planning on this park.