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

Signage10 signs

170 $170

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