A newly revamped bike skills park for beginner and intermediate riders is expected to be open in fall at Brennan Park in Squamish.
There will be a flow zone and skills area with a new pump track, though the designs for the pump track are not final yet, says Ian Lowe, the executive director of the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association. “We are trying to figure it all out…the pump track won’t have mandatory air features and the banks will be a little bit more tapered down than an advanced competition ready pump track.”
The bike skills park was built by SORCA in 2014 and the non-profit has a licence from the District of Squamish to work and operate the facility, though it will always remain a public facility. “There will never be an entry fees and the public can always come to use at any time,” says Lowe.
SORCA has a $300,000 budget for the revamp, which also includes a grant from the District. Along with a new pump track, bike riders will be able to enjoy three jump lines and flow jump zones, as well a revamped skills zone. The renovated facility will be used by both beginners and intermediate riders, from 14 years old to 50-year old adults, Lowe says.
“The District does see that as an important piece to combine with swimming pool and other recreation facility that are close by,” Lowe said. “It’d be a place for youth rider that graduated and it could be someone on their run bike. The pump track and flow zone can accommodate little kids. So, three and five year old on a run bike all the way to someone who is comfortable catching a little bit of air doing nice table top jumps.” .
SORCA has put out a RFP for the design component and the work on the new bike skills park has already started. “With all of these things here, riders can improve their skills for when they go out on the trail system. We will have a lot of coaching here and clinics that will use this place as a controlled environment for riding, from 10-years-old and all the way up to 40 year old trying to ride their bike,” Lowe says.
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