Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront (BPRW), in partnership with the Burlington Bike Park Coalition (BBPC) and the Fellowship of the Wheel (FOTW), are proud to announce the completion of the first phase of the Burlington Bike Park, located at Leddy Park in the City's New North End.
After years of careful planning, Phase 1 was completed thanks to a substantial grant from the State of Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) program managed by the Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation. BBPC and FOTW provided technical support, outreach, and volunteer labor throughout the bike park’s planning and construction. The BBPC plans to continue fundraising for future phases of the Burlington Bike Park, which would include more advanced trails, additional features, and a paved pump track.
On Saturday, October 25, City Staff, Community Partners, and mountain bikers gathered at the new bike park for an opening celebration. The community event featured a ribbon cutting, local vendors demoing bikes and gear, a raffle, and friendly bike competitions and skills clinics.
"As the City’s first and only dedicated mountain biking trails, the Burlington Bike Park will be a valuable community resource. Located off the Greenway, it allows Burlingtonians—especially our youth—to access mountain biking trails without needing to drive. The Bike Park will offer a much-needed space for Burlington’s youth to connect and participate in healthy, enjoyable, and unstructured outdoor recreation," said Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak.
"The Burlington Bike Park at Leddy Park is a great example of how communities can strengthen local economies and quality of life through outdoor recreation. By investing in new mountain bike flow trails, Burlington is expanding access and helping both residents and visitors enjoy the health benefits of time spent outdoors.” said Jackie Dagger, Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative Program Manager.
"It's been amazing to see the first phase of the bike park get completed. We never could have done it without the help of Parks & Rec staff, Fellowship of the Wheel and the wider Burlington community who have spurred us on with their excitement for the project. Seeing kids and adult-kids enjoying the space is extremely gratifying," said Sean Melinn of the Burlington Bike Park Coalition.
Phase I includes approximately a half mile of adaptive-mountain-bike (aMTB) trails along the south side of Leddy Park. Bikers can reach the Bike Park from along Burlington Greenway, connecting into the “return trail,” a gravel trail that leads gently uphill to two separate dirt start mounds. The first 12-foot tall mound leads into a beginner jump line containing a series of tabletop style jumps and banked berms, where beginner riders can practice jumping without the risk of a gap to clear between the takeoff and landing.
A shorter mound further uphill leads into a beginner friendly flow trail, with a series of dirt rollers for riders to practice learning how to “pump” their bike, gaining speed by shifting their weight as they roll onto the downhill side of each roller. The Park then connects into a pre-existing dirt trail that heads out toward the Leddy Park tennis courts or back down toward the Greenway.
The trails have been designed for use by mountain bikes only, though Class 1 e-bikes (pedal-assist, maximum speed of 20 MPH) and electric accessible mountain bikes are allowed. Dirt bikes (electric or gas-powered), RC cars, hiking, and dog walking are not allowed within the Bike Park.
“When we met with the folks leading the Burlington Bike Park Coalition, we knew that this was a chance to build something great. We could not be more excited to welcome the new Leddy Park Bike Park to our network. This is what Burlington needs,” said Adam Morse, Executive Director of Fellowship of the Wheel.
Those interested in supporting continued maintenance and additional phases of bike park construction can donate directly to Fellowship of the Wheel or Burlington Bike Park Coalition, or can become a FOTW annual member.
Burlington, Vt – Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront
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