South Lake Tahoe getting closer to having new bike park

Boulder, Colorado has one. Portland, Oregon has one. Even Roseville and Truckee, California have one. If plans go as they appeared to during a presentation at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, South Lake Tahoe will soon have one.

What is it?

"It" is a combination BMX track and mountain bike skills park which will be located at the city owned Bijou Park.

Bijou Bike Park Association (BBPA) and Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) President Ben Fish laid out the proposed plan to the Council and community.

There was overwhelming support for the project at the meeting as well as received through emails and phone calls to the City Clerk and City Council members. Once completed the park is expected to bring in visitors who want to enjoy biking with their families which would add to the value of a South Lake Tahoe vacation along the lines of the motto "Stay and Play an Extra Day."

The bike skills portion of the park benefits bikers who are transiting from paved bike trails to the back country mountain bike trails South Lake Tahoe is known for. The planned pump track is a continuous track of dirt berms and rollers (small mounds) that one rides without pedaling. The name “pump track” comes from the pumping motion used by the rider’s upper and lower body as they ride around the track. The idea of a pump track is to use this pumping motion to maintain your speed around the track without pedaling.

"Cyclists have money and they're ready to use it," said local bike guru Pete Fink. "No reason everyone should go to Truckee (referring to the town's bike park which attracks cyclists from around the lake and beyond)."

The main concern during the Council meeting was that of liability but as Ted Long said during public comment, "Don't let the scare tactics of lawsuits scare people away from making this decision. This is the future."

Even though the City Clerk gives instructions at the beginning of every meeting for the public to withhold cheering and clapping, that was ignored since every speaker getting up to present their opinions to the Council was greeting with clapping.

Karen Fink spoke of how both the South Tahoe Middle School Connectivity Plan and the South Tahoe Greenway project would feed into Bijou Park, creating a whole and safe experience. She said the economic analysis shows that every $3 million invested in bike trails results in $6 million in additional sales tax alone. North Carolina found biking opportunities add on an extra day to vistor's stays.

"This needs to be a City asset," said Scott Valentine, LTCC Earth Science instructor and City Parks & Rec Commissioner. "This is a benefit to the greater community and we're looking at a potential ripple effect."

"Its time for the candidates to make good on their campaign promises of bettering recreation in the city," said Rachel Sigman.

Even the young got up to give their opinion. "This is a great thing to have because it gives kids something to do after school," according to 15-year old Kain Tindal, 15.

His mom, Heidi Meiser touted the extra revenue that would come into the region as a benefit for the City. "Let's make it real and safe so kids won't be biking on impromptu tracks in the trees," she said, citing the fact that kids are making their own tracks in hazardous areas now, and the planned bike part would bring them into a controlled environment.

Also discussed was the fact that the bike project would need to use 32,925 square feet of coverage, even though it is only compacted dirt that is on the table. BBPA would like the city to give them some of their banked coverage, or the $61,241 needed to purchase it from elsewhere if needed.

The big dirt pile that is currently to the south of the entrance to Bijou Park is from the Harrison Avenue project. Rather than transporting the dirt off the hill it was moved to the park in anticipation of the future bike park.

City staff would contribute in-kind services of a dirt mover in order to place the dirt in the track area and save the bike group's funding for something else.

"I love the process of community input, passion and comments," said Mayor Pro Tem Wendy David. "I believe this is a project that can be successful."

Council voted to proceed with the plan and work on a proposal and model in a subcommittee along with the biking community. Mayor Hal Cole asked they come back to the council with the results as soon as possible so the project can get built.

"This is the most respectful and informed public involvement I've seen," said Cole. "Now it's a matter of making sure it's done right."