HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/6/2021 Item 4b, Plakias (2)
Delgado, Adriana
From:Ry Plakias <rplakias@hotmail.com>
Sent:Monday,
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:Parks and Recreation Commission
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Dear Parks & Rec Commission,
I agree with everything said below. I just travelled to the Truckee Bike park with my 16 year old son
last weekend and we both had an amazing time riding on well built, and safe, bike jumps and berms.
We spent over 2 hours ride and enjoying their park area. There was at least 60 other riders on a
Sunday afternoon doing the same. A similar bike park would be great for our local community and
youth. A really well designed and built park would also draw travelers and commerce to the area as
we already boast an excellent trail system. Access to the Truckee Bike Park was a major reason for
my own trip there. This is a win win opportunity and something that’s long over due for our city.
In addition to asking for a local bike park, I’d also like to recommend an easily built and
maintained “flow trail/pump track” at Meadow Park. This trail could parallel the existing paved
path and give young bike riders a great experience circling the park. This could be done with
little to no impact to the existing green space while giving cyclists a fun and easy way to enjoy
the outdoors.
Video of similar concept in Iowa:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PnPOhzk9D_w
Please accelerate the development of city provided dirt jump parks and a pump track to replace the
recent destruction of the Costco Jumps. This new, or addition to a city park must be in an area that is
centrally located, easily accessible by kids via bike, and along designated safe cycling routes already
in use to travel between schools and across town. The acceptable locations include Laguna Lake
Park & near Sinsheimer Park along the Railroad Safety trail.
The dirt jumps at Costco while unauthorized, became a valued community resource over their
decade-plus existence. I used them, my kids used them, and they were always in use while I pumped
gas at Costco. Jumps like these promote a healthy lifestyle for riders of all ages and abilities, build
skills, teach responsibility with their use & maintenance, and promote community bonds via easy
equitable access. There are many cities with jump parks that SLO can use as a guide. Just to name
a few: Truckee Bike Park, Sedona Bike Skills Park, Bijou at South Lake Tahoe, Snakes Hollow in St.
George Ut, Valmont in Boulder CO. All are incredible and offer a range of beginner, intermediate, and
expert features accessible and challenging to all abilities.
As previously stated, location and ease of access is key. Laguna and near Sinsheimer would promote
healthy lifestyle choices as well as be the most environmentally acceptable locations. A bike park
should be located where kids are already riding and not require a drive by car. Sedona & St George’s
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bike parks are located directly adjacent to their middle schools and thus receive massive use. Costco
jumps were there for all to see and thus also received steady & continuous use. For this reason, the
suggestion to put a facility out by the sewer treatment plant should be a non-starter. There is no safe
way for a kid to ride their bike to that part of town and the fact that a car ride is required to use a bike
skills facility should give us all pause as we work towards our 2030 climate action goals. Additionally,
putting a bike facility whose primary users will be children near the sewer treatment plant as a
homeless encampment deterrent is in poor taste and poorly thought out. Kids should never be used
in this way.
Truckee Bike Park Trail Map:
Sincerely,
Ry Plakias
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