Elk Grove Bike Park Taking Shape

Bikers were getting down and dirty in this weekend, as volunteers raced to the finish line on a four-year vision for a 2.4-acre BMX and mountain bike park that will put the city on the map in the Northern California biking community.

Kids and parents were moving mounds of dirt, packing it down and creating trails and berms for the Elk Grove Bike Park. The Cosumnes Community Services District broke ground on the $450,000 project about 45 days ago, and has now turned it over to volunteers to help finish construction.

“The motivation behind this is a fun and safe, professionally-designed dirt bike area for kids and families,” said Keith CoBen, who was working this weekend at the project’s Volunteer Build Daze, where 150 volunteers turned out to shape one of the tracks.

The first public bike park in the area, the project will “put Elk Grove on the map as far as this activity,” CoBen said. There’s a smaller park in Folsom, and many Elk Grove families typically travel there, but bikers are anxiously awaiting the grand opening of Elk Grove’s park, he said.

“Everyone in the cycling community in Northern California knows about this,” CoBen said. “We already have 1,150 members on the park’s Facebook page. We think because of the design and because it’s close to the freeway, it will be well-used.”

The district is planning a grand opening in October, but bikers couldn’t wait to try some of the new trails on Saturday, CoBen said.

The park was designed by Hilride Consultants, and the design and construction staff was on hand on the weekend to train volunteers in building techniques.

The park is not sanctioned for competitive events yet, but volunteer and BMX mom Miko Daniels of Elk Grove foresees that happening. She has two sons, aged 12 and 18, involved in BMX—or bicycle motocross—competition.

The need for a bike park was identified in the city’s master plan and funded through the CSD. Volunteers will help maintain the park once it is built. And CSD is looking for partners to fund the finishing touches on construction and ongoing maintenance supplies, which will cost about $21,000.

So far, a $5,000 donation has come from Specialized Bicycle Components, in conjunction with in Elk Grove, and Dome Printing has donated $1,000.

The park will have a loop trail, several different kinds of tracks, jump trails, skills areas and freestyle areas.

It can be used by BMX enthusiasts and mountain bikers from beginning to advanced levels.

Gary Geddes of Elk Grove shoveled dirt into a wheelbarrow Sunday with his two sons, Luke, 10, and Aaron, 8.

“When this is ready, we are going to do this,” Luke Geddes said while tugging a shovelful of dirt. “I’m going to ride fast, super fast, as fast as I can.”

Richard Donati, 16, of Elk Grove, was packing down dirt with a shovel. He said he and his friends used to ride bikes at the Power Inn Skate Park, or at some mounds of dirt near the railroad tracks.

“We’re so happy this is coming,” he said of the Elk Grove Bike Park. “It’s cool they let kids help.”

For more information on the park, or to donate or volunteer to work on a construction crew, go to elkgrovebikepark.com.