Sprucing up SPRD's Bike Park 242

Sisters Park & Recreation District's (SPRD) Bike Park 242 is getting a refresh this spring. The park features jump lines, pump tracks, and a drop zone and is great for riders of all abilities wanting to improve their skills.

Snowy winters and dry summers mean the bike park needs consistent maintenance. Maintenance involves moving tons of dirt and is very difficult to do by hand. Visit Central Oregon and SPRD have both contributed funding to address the substantial maintenance work and to make Bike Park 242 more welcoming and fun for riders of all

ages and abilities.

The work is being overseen by SPRD and done by the staff and volunteers of Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA).

Jennifer Holland, executive director of SPRD, said, "We are thrilled to work with COTA on this project. They have brought great energy and excitement to the bike park, and we look forward to our ongoing partnership with them to better serve the Sisters community."

COTA has used part of the funding to hire professional bike park and trail builder Black Sage Dirt Works, owned by Kyle Jameson. Jameson lives in Three Rivers and is nationally recognized for his creative vision and bike park building skills. Jameson will do the primary shaping of the jumps and pump track features and improve drainage, working in his excavator.

To make the funding go further, COTA volunteers will take on other tasks, including creating and installing a welcome sign for the existing kiosk, painting the container that serves as a start point for the main jump lines, planting native vegetation, and more.

The bike park is located between Sisters High School and the skate park, but many people aren't aware of this unique community recreation amenity.

"I talk to a lot of people that didn't know the bike park is there, and are so excited when they find it," said COTA volunteer Steve Smith, who has been instrumental in maintaining the park for several years.

Bike Park 242's history began in fall of 2015, shortly after COTA's Sisters Chapter was created. The chapter's first representative, Joel Palanuk, and Casey Meudt of Blazin Saddles Cycle and Supply advocated to bring a bike skills park to Sisters. With a lot of effort and generous grant funding, the park was built by 2019. Now SPRD and COTA are working to make Bike Park 242 better than ever.

There are many ways for community members to support the current project. To help the budget go further, COTA is seeking donated or discounted fill dirt, gravel, large rocks, hand tools, paint, and native plants and seed. If you would like to support the project by donating cash or products, email contact@cotamtb.com.

COTA also needs volunteers to pitch in now and with ongoing maintenance. Join COTA's Meetup group or email contact@cotamtb.com to find out when work events are happening. No experience is required and there are a variety of tasks ranging from strenuous to non-strenuous. Youth are welcome to join a work event with a parent or guardian.

Bike Park 242 is currently open; however, the blue and black jump lines are closed while the drop-in ramps are rebuilt. The entirety of Bike Park 242 will be closed from approximately May 4-20 while the major work is completed. Work on some tasks such as revegetation and signage may extend beyond those dates after the park has reopened. Check COTA's events calendar at https://www.cotamtb.com/events-calendar.html for the closure dates.

"COTA and SPRD are working hard to make Bike Park 242 a fun place for people of all ages and abilities to be outside, get exercise, improve their bike skills, and connect with people in their community," Mark Miskowiec said.

SPRD and COTA anticipate planning a community day to celebrate the refreshed park in July.