PROPOSAL: Building a Dirt Freeride Park at MERA
Presented by
Brian Sather,
Eastern Oregon University
La Grande Ride, Inc.
Oregon Trail Racing
November 20, 2011 Nov. 20, 2011
To Whom it May Concern:
I am enclosing details on our proposal to build a freeride bicycle park at MERA. This will create a venue for youth and their families to enjoy bicycle riding as a positive recreational pursuit.
Thank you for your initial receptiveness to the project idea. If you feel this program will fit with land at MERA, we look forward to pursuing this with you and other community members. I will gladly discuss this program with you in more detail and provide any additional materials and information required. Our ultimate goal is to reach as many youth as possible to provide an opportunity which allows for individual and family growth.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Brian Sather PROPOSAL: Building a Dirt Freeride Park at MERA
The people of La Grande would benefit greatly from a youth-oriented freeride bike park. This project primarily focuses on the development of a dirt jump venue for BMX and freeride bikes. A dirt freeride park includes several mounds of dirt shaped for aerial stunts and creative bike tricks, placed in a small area (approximately 1 acre) to allow for many repetitions. The project will also have other phases (see Appendix A for aerial view), including the addition of an adult supervision singletrack mountain bike trail and a competition quality BMX race track. Primary users would be riders of BMX bikes, freeride bikes, mountainboards, mountain bikes, and downhill bikes. Furthermore, the park will enhance the appeal of MERA as a family-friendly recreation area that spans all ages. Parent and child interaction can take place in and around the park and it will serve as a good learning ground for more advanced bicycle skills.
Goal
There are three outcomes, listed in order of importance:
1. A freeride park with 10 or more dirt jumps and a pump track, which allows
space to integrate more jumps and the remaining outcomes (listed below).
2. A completed and rideable singletrack mountain bike trail circling the
perimeter of the park
3. A new competition-ready BMX race track.
Location
On Mount Emily Recreation Area (MERA) ground, near Owsley Trailhead Parking
Area, just a few hundred feet down the road.
Coordinates 45.384903,-118.09181 http://g.co/maps/q4eth
Alternate possible location ideas are welcome, provided they are close to a parking
area. Phase 1: Dirt Jump Park
The International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) provides a good 18 step plan for building a dirt jump or freeride park:
1. Get permission and build a partnership
2. Form a team and seek input
3. Select a location
4. Secure a permanent water source
5. Develop a risk management plan
6. Develop an effective signage system
7. Acquire insurance
8. Develop a scheduled inspection and maintenance program
9. Design the jumps
10. Include jumps for everyone
11. Table-tops or Gaps?
12. Measurements and Geometry
13. Develop a construction plan
14. Get good dirt
15. Grade the site for drainage
16. Build and compact the jumps
17. Encourage stewardship
18. Learn from BMX and skateboarding (International, n.d.)
These steps are explained at the IMBA website along with pictures. Some points have already been addressed before preparing this proposal, and most of the remaining points are explained herein. Regarding insurance, the IMBA and RJF Agencies off options for liability insurance for club members and volunteers specific to the freeride park. Special event insurance will be addressed on a per-event basis at the time of proposals to MERA.
Water is an important concern given that there is no pressurized water source near the proposed location. A solution is to bring water in periodically during maintenance using a purchased tank for pick-up bed. The ongoing concerns and maintenance costs will be handled within a specific BMX/freeride club. IMBA contains several resources and support for freeride parks, which can be called on for guidance by a local club for maintenance and ongoing concerns with the track.
Table of Costs
Duration Rate Labor Material Cost
Excavator Equipment 30 hrs 90 $2700
Signage 170 $170 10 signs
Dirt (10 truck loads) 1700 $1700
Water Tank 328 $328
Hand building 100 hrs 0 $0
Total $4,898
Cost Estimates and Assumptions
● Excavator costs $90/hour rate recently used by BMSTC
● Signs $15 per square foot vinyl on ⅛ inch sintra
http :// www . megaprint . com / trail - signs . php
● Construction of approximately 10 jumps
● Water tank for truck based on 210 gallon tank $328 http :// www . plastic -
mart . com / item . aspx ? id =128 This is to be used for ongoing maintenance of
the jumps
● Dump truck dirt approximation based on $150 per truck load
Funding plan: ● Backhoe equipment use donated entirely by La Grande Ride, Inc. $2700
● Dirt donated from local contractor (or moved from within MERA) $1700
● Raised through donation campaign or club payment $600
● Total = $5,000
Other resources
● IMBA World Summit 2010 Resources - Getting Started With Bike Parks and
Pump Tracks
http :// www . imba . com / sites / default / files / documents / summit / wmbf _10_ use _ t
his _ one . ppt . pdf
● IMBA World Summit 2010 Resources - Bike Parks & Pump Tracks
Management http :// www . imba . com / resources / freeriding / bike - parks -
management
● Liability and insurance information http :// www . imba . com / resources / liability -
and - insurance
● Book Welcome to Pump Track Nation http :// www . amazon . com / Welcome -
Pump - Track - Nation - Build / dp /0974566012 Phase 2: Singeltrack Supervision Trail
A loop on the perimeter of the park will serve as a MTB trail about 500 meters long
(see Appendix A for map), that serves as a trail that can be ridden by parents or adults allowing for a good visual of activities within the park. This trail will also be useful for use by
BMX riders in the park and will be a goo demarcation of the perimeter. This will be constructed using the already-established trail building procedure at MERA (e.g. hand tools) by a few volunteer trail builders, all according to existing MERA Trail Plan as follows:
Non-Motorized Construction and Maintenance. All trails will be of a sustainable design
and constructed and maintained according to the standards outlined in IMBA’s “Trail
Solutions: IMBA’s Guide to Building Sweet Singletrack” (2004), the USFS “Trail
Construction and Maintenance Notebook” (2007), and “Natural Surface Trails by
Design” (2004) by Troy Scott Parker. RTP’s “Equestrian Design Guidebook for Trails,
Trailheads, and Campgrounds” (2007) will be used to incorporate trail and trailhead
design elements to accommodate equestrians and reduce potential conflicts. (Union
County, p. 4) Phase 3: BMX Race Track
“BMX” stands for Bicycle Motocross, which is bicycle racing over mounds of dirt on a short track with numerous turns. The target audience for community BMX tracks are usually young children, to give them a structured outlet for competition and challenges riding a bike. While there is a skate park arena La Grande, that accommodates BMX stunt riding, there has never been a BMX track for hosting structured competitions and developing speed proficiency on a bike. This project will be driven by community cycling enthusiasts and other stakeholders in an effort to develop a fully functional, race quality BMX track.
Track Construction
There are some important resources available for new BMX track construction, including the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and their comprehensive package for building a track. Furthermore, they offer training workshops, comprehensive planning documents, and on-site help in building the track. The ABA pays for new track operators to come to ABA headquarters in Arizona for a track construction clinic (John David, personal communication July 6, 2011). The project will also depend on volunteer help, of which verbal interest has already been offered by area cycling enthusiasts. Machinery such as skid steers or backhoes will need to be employed for moving dirt and laying out the course.
The ABA calls for the following for building a track:
● Land: 2-3 Acres will support a full scale BMX track provided there is parking
nearby.
● Track size: Perimeter 150’ x 350’ based on the shape of the land. To include
spectators, 400’ x 500’ is needed.
● Starting gate: 24ft or wider to fit 8 riders (ABA has plans on how to build.)
● 1st straightaway: 25-35 ft wide.
● Width of track after 1st turn: 15-20 ft.
● Total length of track: 900-1200 ft. ● Dirt 2,000-4,000 cubic yards of dirt (150-400 dump truck loads depending on
the size of the truck).
● The best soil is 80% clay with 20% sand, but loam, river silt, and other soil
mixes may also suffice. When analyzing dirt, try to pack a handful into a ball
and if it shapes easily, good. If it feels like modeling clay, the clay content is
too high. If it does not hold shape, it is too sandy.
(American Bicycling Association, n.d.)
Suggested equipment:
● Front End Loader: 2 ½-4 yard bucket no teeth. Example: Case 621, Cat 938,
John Deere 644.
● Skid-Loader with rubber tracks for detail work. Example: Bobcat T250, Cat
277, John Deere 270.
● Smooth drum roller: double drum drive 36"-48". Example: Bomag BW 100AD,
Ingersol-Rand DD24 or DD22. (The track should be rolled after everything
has been raked and smoothed.)
● 4-Wheel ATV with smooth (turf) tires
● DRAG MAT- Chain fence section 4'x4' with tires for weight on top and a chain
to attach it to the 4-wheeler for dragging the track smooth. Professional drag
mats can be purchased from BSN Sports www.bsnsports.com 1-800-527-
7510 3' x 5' all steel drag mat (BBMAT35X)
● Wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels
● Water (water truck or outlets and standard hoses)
● Lots of volunteer help to rake and shovel.
(American Bicycling Association, n.d.)
Insurance
The ABA provides insurance coverage for member clubs: The insurance coverage includes $5 million dollar spectator and participant liability,
as well as public liability. The land owner and whoever else is involved with the
property can also be listed as an additional insured on the certificate of insurance.
Coverage is provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (American Bicycling
Association, p. 12).
Resources
● ababmx . com : The official website of the ABA, loaded with support materials and race
inforamtion.
● abatracks . com : The track builders and operator resource site.
● ABA, Director of New Track Development, John David at 480-961-1903 x-112 or
john @ ababmx . com
Costs
The ABA outlines several costs, of which donations will be solicited for many. Some of these concerns already have key individuals in the La Grande area that are confident the volunteer equipment and labor will be secured. Below is an accounting of some of the major costs:
● Dirt: Use of existing dirt on land or call for donation from a farm or construction site.
● Equipment: wheel loader or 2-5 ton roller ($3000 or donated)
● Lumber: for construction of scoring platform and registration (not mandatory)
● Electricity: 200 amp power pole or a generator ($300-500 for a pole or generator)
● Water: City of Island City will have to supply water (cost?)
● Starting gate: 6’x28’ platform with 22” steel hinged gate. Concrete or steel base and
starting gate custom made with ABA plans. ($300-$2000)
● Starting gate controls: Electronic system with built in voice cadence, controls raising
and lowering of gate. Available from Cartessa Corp www.Cartessa.com ($695)
● Starting Lights: Simple 2 light system with one green and one red light that is
activated by the starting control. Can be purchased or made. (50-$175) ● Speakers: Two 8 Ohms speakers 10W non-ground Radio Shack part #40-1236 ($25)
● Air compressor: Minimum of 2 hp air compressor and 10 gallon tank combination.
Bigger recommended. ($250)
● PA system: Realistic (Radio Shack) 20 Amp with microphone and at least 4 speakers
or some other portable system ($200-700).
● Restrooms: 2 portable toilets (check rental costs)
Table of Costs
A more specific table of costs will be prepared at a later date, as this is a Phase 3 of the plan, and not essential to the accomplishment of Phases 1 and 2. Costs will be more accurate after development of these phases. For now, the aforementioned outline of materials and equipment provides a context for approximating costs. Liability Concerns
In addition to the insurance coverage, the local club will require all club members
(i.e. their parents) and all race participants to sign waivers for participation. Freeride/BMX is a risky activity and placing a track like this on public or private land introduces an attractive nuisance that could lead to injury. Since the track will not be directly supervised at all times, there is a concern over unsupervised activities. From a community responsibility standpoint, it is important to note that BMX riding at a track is a substitute for kids from higher risk street riding that involves traffic and surprise obstacles. Furthermore, similar dangers are inherent in the skate park in La Grande and most other recreation structures.
In short, there is an inherent risk that is part of any recreation and sporting activity, and the courts do recognize this. In the scope of recreational pursuits, bicycle riding is less risky than other activities like hunting, ATV riding, and boating.
The following is a summary of steps that will be taken to reduce risk and liability for owners, leaders, and participants:
● Purchasing of insurance coverage through IMBA and/or ABA that is specific to
the park
● Waivers signed by all participants in club and race activities
● Clearly visible signage at the park to warn of risk and outline safety rules
● Openness of the venue and good sighting for adults in the area
● Club oversight of the facility, to ensure parental involvement and schedule
track supervision during high use times
Rationale & Conclusions
The building of a freeride park will enhance community spirit. Children need as many recreation opportunities as possible, especially given the childhood obesity concerns in
America. Traditional sports like basketball, baseball, swimming, and football have existing structures for competition in the La Grande area and surrounding communities. Activities that accommodate other interests (besides the popular sports) are not so prevalent.
Furthermore, freeride/BMX is a departure from catching and throwing skills that predominate traditional sports, so it provides the opportunities to develop other important sport skills such as cardiovascular fitness, balance, and spatial awareness in motion.
Most kids have a bike. The skate park affords the opportunity for unstructured and free play, which is very important, but the opportunity for structured competition and learning, along with family involvement, is lacking for bicycling. Providing a freeride park would promoted a gamut of bicycle-based recreation opportunities including unstructured, structured, and family-based. It would serve as a convenient meeting point for activities, which can be parlayed into other cycling activities on trails and roads outside of the city.
Additionally, a freeride park serves to bridge neighboring communities. Terrain parks and BMX tracks exist in the regional including Waitsburg, Walla Walla, Tri Cities, Bend, and
Eagle. Both Echo and Yakima (John David, personal communication July 6, 2011) will be building new tracks. The addition of a track in the La Grande area provides the opportunity for a race or competition circuit that involves other communities, with the region being a somewhat central location that many travel through on I-84.
Project Schedule Deadlines
● Fall 2011: Preliminary investigation and identification of potential locations. Informal
conversations with interested parties in the La Grande area. Conversations with
Parks and Recreation in La Grande, MERA, and City Hall in Island City.
● November 2011: Presentation of proposal for freeride park
● Winter/Spring 2012: Develop park construction plan in detail, include jump
placements and elements.
● June, 2012: Securing official approval of the land for building the freeride park
(Phase 1) and MTB singletrack (Phase 2). ● Summer 2012: Secure construction equipment, track design, logistics of location.
Begin construction of jumps
● Fall 2012: Phase 2 construction of MTB adult supervision trail around freeride park.
● Spring 2014: Phase 3 BMX track. Revised and more detailed draft of plan. Work in
collaboration with ABA. Contact other recently-built tracks or top tracks in the
country, to get a sense of best-practices for BMX track building. Visit other tracks if
possible. References
American Bicycling Association. (n.d.) POTENTIAL TRACK OPERATOR KIT. Retrieved July 4,
2011, from http :// ababmx . com / pdf /2008_ ptok . pdf
International Mountain Bicycling Association. (n.d.). 18 Steps to Building a Dirt Jump or
Freeride Park. Retrieved November 19, 2011, from
http :// www . imba . com / resources / freeriding /18- steps - building - dirt - jump - or - freeride -
park
Union County. (2011). MERA Trail Plan. Unpublished document provided by MERA
Coordinator. Appendix A
The Freeride/BMX Park
See Map at http://g.co/maps/sx7sy Appendix B
Overview Map