Orange Pulp*: Bike Skills in Berkeley!

There are a few plots of land in South Berkeley that were used as light railroad use and have been decommissioned. I've been hearing word that the city was going to build a bike path on the property to join to existing paths. This is right next to the shop, so I started searching around and finally found a the right person to talk with about the possibility of building a skills area on the property. Kara, who is the associate planner of transportation in Berkeley has been extremely helpful and seems willing to try to help me. This would be so sweet. So I'm going to use this as the updater to progress the report. I've also contacted our councilman for our area, Darrly Moore in district 2 The first news I've got on the properties is that they are currently budgeting for the construction and that there will be a Firestation built on the property between Murray and Folger. So I'm angling for the property that is between Ashby and Heinz. They have already ok'd the bike blvd, so we are just asking for either the ability to build a skills area or have the city put one in. We may need to get a petition going here shortly so if anyone knows how to do an digital version of a petition I would love to hear about it.

UPDATE 12/10 :: I have an appointment with councilman Darryl Moore on the 9th of January to discuss the skills area. A definite positive move forward.

UPDATE 1/10 :: The meeting with Councilman Darryl Moore went great. He was just excited about the idea as I was. We talked about all the concerns and issues and it seems that there aren't nearly as many as I thought there would be. The biggest news, is that he suggested instead of the 9th st BLVD, to move to an actual park. He suggested building at Aquatic Park. There are numerous benefits to this. Expansion of the park if needed. Potential Federal Aid and the seclusion of the spot. Basically away from residential or idiotic people. Last he was so interested in the project, that he said he would help in contacting the right people in the city to help it move along faster. I'm very pleased with this first step as I'm much more confident that we can pull this off. Darryl is setting up an appointment with the William Rogers who is the Director of Parks and Recreation in Berkeley. Darryl is going to accompany me to the meeting. If William gets on board, we will then make the proposal to 4 other councilman, we need 5 votes to make it happen. This is a great first step and I truly believe we can have the first legal bike skills jump park right here in Berkeley.

Here are some links to some pump tracks and skills areas, check it out.

BMX Jump Park in Pleasanton.

A good showing of landscape and pump track

Another version

A very large pump track in Denver

Wood bridges low to the ground

Article on a town in Oregon trying to build a skills park.

Boise Parks and Recreation constructing a dirt jump park.

Urban skills park under freeway.

specifically about the above trail

Mountainview is trying to build a skills park as well.

more landscape pump track

IMBA developing bike skills

Not bike skills, but legal freeriding trails.

and a video of Mark Weir's pump track in his back yard that I wish I had in my backyard.