Kitchener lands a top-flight bike park

With today's opening of the McLennan Park bike park, Kitchener now is home to the two best bike parks in Ontario.

That's the opinion of Mark Schmidt, trail specialist and point person for the International Mountain Bicycling Association (Canada), who turned up this morning to watch the ribbon-cutting and test the four circuits on the city-operated free bicycle park.

Since Coun. Kelly Galloway told the 90-some people at the opening that city officials haven't been able to keep people off the courses prior to the opening (Snow fence? What snow fence?), I just assumed that Schmidt had already had a spin through the park.

"I was respecting the opening day," he said. Schmidt said Chicopee's bike park and the McLennan bike park will be magnets for those wanting to develop themselves as downhill and freestyle cyclists in Ontario.

There are four courses in the park: a jump track with three lines for different skill levels and a grade change of 13 metres; a race-style 4X course with a grade change of 28 metres; a 183-metre free-ride course with skinnies, boulder gardens, a teeter totter and other challenges; and a beginner pump track with rollers, table tops and banked corners.

 Among the jump track users was a cautious Kitchener Coun. John Gazzola, the only municipal politician to bring his own bike. (That's him in the orange shirt.)

There was a lot of energy this morning. And some of the challenges facing the city are already apparent.

Although signage is everywhere indicating helmets must be worn on the tracks, several riders who knew better were there, helmet-free.

A somewhat jaded Cody Frericks of Kitchener, anticipating the municipal response when the park records its first serious injury, said, "I give it five weeks before they take it down."

But other riders were just there to ride, and talk cycling.

"Take my picture on the teeter totter," said Matt Bingeman, 9. Although he's been riding jump tracks for only two months, he has clear competitive cycling goals: "When I'm 15, I want sponsors." 

Reps from East Side Cycles were there to offer support, and show jump frames to the adoring 10- to 12-year-olds who saw no problem in getting a $500 or $600 frame. Perhaps the parents are going to pop for them.

The youngest rider was Christian Hampton, who at three years old, is actually too young for the facility: minimum age is six. But he got to cut the ribbon with Mayor Carl Zehr, Galloway and nine-year-old rider Samantha Summers.

While officials and parents walked up to the "summit" of Mount Trashmore, the cyclists did what they do best. The clear favourites? The intermediate and advanced level jump tracks. A whole lot of air was being caught this morning, and although I am a roadie, and do not have the equipment to run these courses, I can clearly see the appeal.

Comments

[geoffrey]

I SHOULD be excited about this. But I'm not. Why is this? Where are the facilities for PRACTICAL bicyclists? The ones who ride to work rather than donning multitonne SUVs? Could it be Kitchener still regards bicycling as a recreational pastime? That bicyclists should be discouraged from exercising their craft for any REAL purpose? That the almighty motorvehicle industry still propels Kitchener decision making?
Where is the Province of Ontario in educating motorholics that other road users must be granted safe use of roadways? Where is the city in directing its transportation department to build roads for ALL road users? Why are pedestrian facilities still broken in multiple places on Ottawa St west of Mill St?

[Bill]

You are absolutely right that there should be better practical bicycle facilities. But your argument is the old "we should house the homeless and cure cancer before we spend millions venturing off into outer space" argument. Hey, we need housing and health, and we need dreams we can hope to realize. More places to thrash means more bike dreams, and presumably, riding on city streets to realize them. (Although it is absolutely ironic that this bike park has a good-sized parking lot, I was encouraged by the number of young cyclists who rode there.)

[Fraser]

After riding in bike parks across the country, today's experience at McLennan featured the most positive environment yet. Riders of all ages and all skill levels looked to be right at home - an impressive fact considering the park opened on Friday. I hope it stays that way, and I would like to extend my thanks to all those who brought McLennan Bike Park into existence.

[Matt Bingeman]

Thanks soo Much for Putting me In this Blog.