BMX Dirt Jump Bikers get a lift from the City

Bicycle Motocross (BMX) youth design their own dirt jump courses with clay models at Horace Mann El.

Carolyn Hope, Redmond's new Senior Parks Planner and already a "rising star", organized a workshop for the neighborhood BMX dirt bike youth. The kids here are modeling clay mock-ups of course designs to help the city plan a safer, more consistent & challenging, environmentally friendly course. Councilmember Richard Cole was present and positive about prospects for the sport in Redmond. Horace Mann El. hosted the meeting.

Neighborhood youth have been BMX dirt jumping in a neighborhood water district forest for over ten years. Only now has the City recognized the sport, the jump course and forest remnant as a potential park asset. Carolyn Hope has worked hard on the project. This is the second community meeting she has held. On Thursday, July 9th, 1:30 - 6pm Ms. Hope is taking 8 BMX youth on a tour of three established nearby dirt jump parks to get fresh ideas and learn about course construction and design. Assuming the city proceeds, permitting and formal design by a qualified engineer will be required.

The BMX youth are ecstatic about the support from the City. Over eight BMX youth volunteered 32 hours of community service to help clean-out invasive plants from the BMX forest. Many of their parents helped, too.


The BMX tour schedule and park websites:
1. Colonnade Mountain Bike Park with John Lang of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance:http://evergreenmtb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Colonnade
2. Tapeworm Jumps and Pump Track with AJ Johnson of GHY Bikes:http://evergreenmtb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tapeworm
3. Snoqualmie Dirt Jumps (possibly with DirtCorps):http://evergreenmtb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Trail:Snoqualmie_Bike_Park
http://www.dirtcorps.com/Projects/SnoqualmieBikeSkillsParkPhaseIComplete/tabid/71/Default.aspx