HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/6/2021 Item 4b, Velarde
Delgado, Adriana
From:Ben Velarde <ben.velarde@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:Replacement of Costco jumps
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Dear Parks & Rec Commission,
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 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.
Sincerely,
Ben Velarde
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