Bike Park Propositon V2

[freakonaleash]

Going to city hall on again thursday, this time to present my bike park idea to the parks and rec department. Without further ado, heres the proposition v2.

A Short Introduction...

Hey there, my names Josh Morrill. I'm 15 years old, and have been a resident of Pitt Meadows for all 15 of those years. I started biking back when I was 6. I kept kind of starting biking, stopping, starting. Than at the age of 13 I got incredibly HOOKED. I started out making small wooden jumps, and than eventually evolved into dirt jumping and "shore" style riding. I have been dirt jumping steadily for about a year. Me and a very large group of friends are avid Dirt jumping enthusists. The beautiful thing about dirt jumping is that both BMX's and Mountain bikes can be used. Anyways, we starting jumping everywhere. Locations where nice and remote, where no-one was, and our trails stayed. Than overtime, those secret, remote locations started getting discovered by other bikers. Those other bikes Got hooked too ! So now on our remote jumps, theres an even BIGGER group of teens jumping. Overtime though, these locations have started getting torn down. Quite recently, our final remote jump spot, was flattened into a walking path. So why did we build jumps anyways ? Is it because we where bad people ? Not at all. We did it because there was and IS nowhere to go. There is nowhere somewhat remote in pitt meadows. Everything is now developed. And this is where a dirt jump park comes into play. Not only will it benefit us bike riders, but it will benefit the community and local businesses alike. The businesses will get more people buying energy drinks, snacks, bike parts. The community will benefit by not having to stuble on remote jump spots and other illegal jumps. The main reason though, for the jump park is this. Lets face it. Theres NOWHERE for teens to hang out. The majority of teens i see these days (myself and friends NOT included) hang out at the mall,skatepark, and in front of 7-11. More and more people are getting involved in drugs, and less and less are getting involved in physical activitys. With a bike park,teens will get a hightened sense of self esteem, have a fun place to go, get more physically fit and respect there community more.

- Josh Morrill.

2.Construction


The First aspect In this New and improved proposition is construction. Construction of the park must include a few main things. Firstly, The park must be constructed correctly. This means that the jumps must be wide, strong, long lasting, weather proofed. This also means that any stunts (ladders, skinnys etc. see section 5) must be constructed correctly as well,using the correct wood, proper location, efficient yet grippy rolling surface and making sure the stunts are durable will mean that this park can last for many years without showing signs of deterioration.

The dirt portion of this park will be jumps. These jumps will have a few main characteristics including :

1. Wide Face

2. Table topped (semi-tabled for larger jumps, see section 5 for full details)

3. Correctly designed

4. Correctly built with safety, quality, and "flow"

5. Correct type of dirt (60-70 % clay with 40-30 % dirt and rocks no larger than 1" in diameter. Keep in mind though, dirt of this type is IDEAL but not NESSICARY)

6. Being built with help from bike riders to ensure fun !

The second aspect of the park will be wood (stunts ! see section 5 for full details and definition of what a "stunt" is). These stunts must be properly designed for the ultimate in safety, durability and fun. Another key idea to these stunts is progression (for insurance resons). For example, having tall, "skinnys" may seem very dangerous, and not very liable, and all in all a horrible, unsafe idea. But in reality it isnt. There will be ground level skinnys, and skinnys elevated about 1 ft. This ensures that the rider has the correct skill to ride the higher elevated longer obstacle, and also ensures liability. For example, if the rider just "goes big" and doesn't try the smaller things first, he/she will have no viable excuse for getting hurt other than "lack of practice." If the rider would have learned on the smaller obstacles WHICH ARE THERE than he/she would not have gotten hurt due to having better skills (practice makes perfect !). This means the stunts must:

1. Include Progression (Begginner-Intermediate-Advanced-Expert)

2. Utilise the correct wood. Cedar wood is IDEAL as it is naturally preserved, thus ensuring durability

3. Correctly Anchored in a sturdy Area

4. Must have a grippy, but efficiant rolling surface. This generally means putting x-cuts into the log, or some sort of grippy material (excluding wall ride and box).

Quality and Knowledgable construction will ensure that the park stays fun and durable for years to come !

Initial Build

Generally, the city and riders do the initial build. This means the park is finished, jumps are ridable, stunts are smooth and working well. Transition ramps are smooth, and jump faces are sculpted to a delight. Everything is rideable and do-able, but not perfect. Generally the initial build takes about 1 week and 240 loads of dirt.


3. Maintainence

Maintainence is the next key idea to a good bike park. Generally, the city and riders do the initial build. This means the park is finished, jumps are ridable, stunts are smooth and working well. Transition ramps are smooth, and jump faces are sculpted to a delight. Everything is rideable and do-able, but not perfect. Generally the initial build takes about 1 week.

After the initial build it is up to the riders to keep the park well maintained. It is also up to the riders to "dial-in" the park. As I stated before, after the initial build the park is rideable, but not perfect. At this point, as i have previusly stated the riders have to "dial-in" the park. Dialing in includes:

1. Shaping and grooming Jump faces to an ideal lip

2. Smoothing out transition ramps

3. Making sure all run ins are as smooth as fast as possible and that speed for the jump is achieveable by those with the skill to do such jump

4. Riding the jumps all day : )

After the "dial-in" The jumps will be ridable nicely for about a week and a half to two weeks. After that they will start to get a little "squished." Never Fear though, jump maintainers are here ! Personally, I almost have more fun building jumps than riding them. Jumps at this point will be maintained by riders. We will do a follow up "dial-in" about every two weeks to ensure the jumps stay beautiful. Theres so many great, dedicated riders in pitt meadows, that these jumps will stay primo all the time. I know many riders who love building just as much as riding (me included). Building jumps is truely a labour of love. Its just an amazing feeling taking a big clump of dirt, and making it a beautiful, fun, rideable jump !

As for the wooden stunts and maintainence...

Wood requires MUCH MUCH LESS maintainence than dirt. Every couple of months the wooden stunts will :

1. Have to be cleaned

2. Checked to ensure footing is still stable

3. Sweeped off, and de-slimeifyed if nessicary

Maintainence is key to keeping that beautiful fun park, fun and beautiful : )

4.Safety


Safety,Safety,Safety. The big S word that scares not only parents, but also municipalitys ! Safety is the key to good fun, and thats why ALL precautions possible will be taken to ensure the BEST PARK POSSIBLE ! These precautions include :

1. Progression ! (beginner-intermediate-advanced-expert)

2. Quality Building and Durability

3. Correct, Safe, Signage

4. "Optional Lines" (In other words, if your done practicing and finally going for that big skinny, and at the last second you freak out, you have somewhere to go other than onto the stunt)

5. "Fall Zone" An area around the stunts where if you fall, there is an open area, not something enclosed, with objects to hit.

6. "Trail Filter" If there is a "line" of stunts (group of stunts, one after another of one difficulty), the first stunt will determine the amount of skill required to complete this "line." In other words, if you cant do the first stunt, dont try any of the others as they are out of your skill level. A good phrase to remind you of this is " If in doubt, Stay out ! "

7. Place Technical Features Appropriatly ! (In other words, no advanced level stunts in the beginner area)

8. Remember one big thing. This is a shared park. This means that just because you are better than someone else, it does not mean that you can make anything harder, or change anything. Stunts and jumps must stay the same so the park can cater to all ages and all skill levels.



5.Overview Of The Park (The Big Picture !)

This is the overview of the park section. Below is a description with pictures and explanations of what we would like the park to have.


Dirt Jumps

A Jump Made of dirt. The begginner/intermediate Jumps will be "table top" jumps. This means that the jump will have a flat top, ensuring that if proper speed is not achieved, and the rider does not clear the jump to the landing ramp, he/she will be perfectly fine. The advanced/expert jumps will be what are called "semi-tables." This means that the jumps will have a dip in the center, but still are not 100% gaps. If the rider does not clear to the landing ramp, he/she will just get a big "bump" from casing the ramp, but the rider should still be fine. The whole reason behind the semi-tables is the commitment factor of biking. The semi-tables make sure that people wont make a habit of just rolling jumps. They will require the rider to be ready, to practice harder, and to get better !
























"Stunts"
A "stunt" is a man-made obstacle created to technically challenge the rider. Here are some examples of stunts that we would really like to see at the park :

Skinnys:
A Thin piece of wood in which the rider has to carefully balance across



Ladder:
Two large pieces of wood running paralell spaced about 1ft apart with "rungs" covering the horizontal portion of the stunt.





"Box":
A big Rectangular Prism made of wood usually with a jump in front to get onto the "box." Jump on the box will be optional.








"Wall Ride"
A vertical wall , usually with jump leading on to it, but jump is optional to the rider.















Drop:
Usually Consists of a ladder leading to a straight off "drop-off." Rider lands on transition ramp. Ideal spot for drops is the starting hill for jumps.









(note spaces are for drawings on real proposition)

6.Help(Design)

Legendary bike rider and park builder Jay Hoots (hes got about 15 parks under his belt right now) has offered to help with the park. He actually came to pitt meadows, and with the company of me and my friend, told us all about bike parks, how to get them, how to build them. Jay has offered to help design the park. I fell that it would be a good idea as:

1. Stunts will be designed to work and last

2. Jumps will be designed to work and last

Without a proffessional designer, i feel the park may get boring, and will not be as big a success as it. As an example of a Jay built park, Please view the enclosed photos of "Glen Eagles Adventure Park "


7.Costs and other figues(and ways to cut costs)

A Shopping list for someone in need of a dirt jump/ skills park:

240 loads dirt

Cedar Wood For stunts, Ladders

Plywood For Box/ Wallride

Signs (safety,hazzards,skill levels)

1 Chunk Of Land

1 Bag of Cash

100 ( +/-) Dedicated Bikers And City Workers !

1 Dream !

How To Cut Costs On...

Dirt: As you know, many, many developments are happening in pitt meadows. Dump trucks roar through neighbourhoods taking out there gigantic loads of dirt to maple ridge. The truck drivers than even have to PAY to dump the dirt. And heres where we save money. By going to a dump location in pitt meadows, The drivers wont have to pay to dump there dirt (benifits both partys !)Also, each truck will save about 10 minutes each way. Thats about 20 minutes per truck, per load. In a site with 70 trucks, thats a 1400 Minute or 23.3 hour savings ! With the high costs of fuel prices these days (and workers) imagine how much money this will save for the trucking company and drivers.

Wood: Pitt Meadows is Just west of both the hammond, and albion cedar mills. Wood for the park could be heavily discounted (or free) if we can advertise the mill (or store) that gave us free wood, or discounted wood.

Workers: Volunteers are very bountiful in the cycling community. If the park was to be built, volunteers would be a huge help, required, and guaranteed. I, and all my friends (and those who propsed park) would definatly help building. As an example of how many volunteer would really help...

On Mount Seymour (North Shore) They have "trail days." On a "trail-day" riders come out and help work on the trails. As an example of some of the volunteers and volunteer hours the nsmba gets to there trail days, look below...

2006 Trail Days April 9, 2006
Corkscrew/Salvation
7 hours
57 volunteers,399 volunteer hours
April 30, 2006
Lower Oil Can
7 hours
60 volunteers,420 volunteer hours
May 20, 2006
Dempsey Trail
7 hours
14 volunteers,98 volunteer hours
May 28, 2006
Pangor
7 hours
60 volunteers,420 volunteer hours
June 11, 2006


8.Location

Me and bicycle legend Jay hoots (as well as my friend Ryan) went scouting Pitt Meadows for a better location than the bmx track. We found what Jay (Park Designer !!) called "the ideal location for a bike park." This location is the large field just south west of the "new" rec. center by city hall, just north of PME. This location looks like its going to be developed into some sort of field. But I hope that your still taking some input on what should happen with the location, as this is 100% IDEAL for a bike park. Its large (bike park wont use much of it, there will still be quite a large amount of space left). Its located right by the recreational centre, city hall, and volunteer police department. There are already some lighting fixtures. Its nicely accessable with rest rooms (rec center), Water fountain (rec. center). Its also right smack dab in the center of the town, so it is easily accessable by Any and ALL bikers.



So thats it. ANy suggestions, comments, questions welcome thanks.

[tacklebox]

freak,

check your spelling and grammar......and edit it for presentation to folks who won't have a clue what you're talking about.

[brigusnf]

Freak,

Good effort. I haven't done this but I have a few suggestions if you want to increase your odds of success. Right now a city administrator will look at this and say nice, but obviously written by a kid, you want them to say, "what a well written proposal". You have included quite a lot of the required information, your presentation just need to be polished.
1) Fix all spelling mistakes
2) Fix grammer mistakes
3) Have a teacher (preferably English Teacher) proof read it
4) Remove references to your fiends by name
5) Ask Jay Hoots if you can include a biography of him, as it might increase the credibility of your proposal, rather than just mentioning him as legendary
6) Avoid phrases like "freak out" on a skinny. Phrase it something like "optional safe escape routes will be constructed as part of technical features to allow a rider to safely exit a feature at any time"
7) maybe list other cities that have authorized dirt jump parks.
find out from other cities with jump parks if their jump park is insured under the same policy as skate parks/ sports fields/ rinks/ etc etc and include this information in your proposal, ie tell them how the city will be able to insure it at little added cost (if any).

Good luck, be patient (this might take a long time to make happen).

[Dude]

Freak,

Clearly you've put in a lot of work, and have thought this out. I have to agree with the thoughts above- revise, revise, revise!

You have only one chance to make a first impression, so what I'd suggest is marking down the NEXT meeting on your calendar, and in the meantime, seek the assistance of your teachers, and the MTB community leaders. The suggestions above are a good place to start; maybe the only thing I'd add is to sit down with your communications / business teacher at school, to help polish this up to make it less wordy, and easier to follow.

You will need to present more details. If Jay has an idea as to how much square footage the park will need, you should include this. Instead of "1 Bag of Cash" , see if you can, with the help of Jay, put together a cost estimate sheet. Then double it for contingency.

Finally, there are community leaders on this board who may be an immense help to you. Suggest taking Lee and Syncros out for lunch; take your notebook, and pick their brains.

Also, don't take the above criticisms badly, because just by taking the initiative, you're showing leadership and enthusiasm...two qualities you'll need, and you'll be able to grow exponentially from. Consider what you've done here as the base model / rough draft, go back, and make it better.

Well done so far; best of luck moving forward.

[JdanS]

Freak,

Awesome job. I am really impressed that you took the time to think this through and write up your draft.

As stated in the other emails you will need to polish it up a bit and make it look professional.

If you want any help with the proof reading send me your next revision in a word document and I will give you some feedback and help you with the corrections.

Good luck and keep the work going.

Cheers,
JdanS

[Lurch]

^^^^What they said. Also, 1 thing that kind of jumped out at me as being funny- You talk about kids donig nothing but "hanging around at the skate park", I am betting when the proposal was put forward for the skate park, their little selling point was "get the kids to stop hanging around and getting in trouble somewhere else". It just comes across as "the skate park was a waste of time, lets do a bike park", maybe that is just my interpretation of it.
good on ya for doing this.

[enduramil]

Originally Posted by Lurch

^^^^What they said. Also, 1 thing that kind of jumped out at me as being funny- You talk about kids donig nothing but "hanging around at the skate park", I am betting when the proposal was put forward for the skate park, their little selling point was "get the kids to stop hanging around and getting in trouble somewhere else". It just comes across as "the skate park was a waste of time, lets do a bike park", maybe that is just my interpretation of it.
good on ya for doing this.

Good point.

Mention the hanging around and getting into trouble elsewhere. The other thing to include is getting youth active and that building this will actually help in the fight against obesity.

The whole obesity issue seems to be a big selling point for projects out here.

[freakonaleash]

alrite thanks. Ill revise it. Presentations tomorrow, english teacher thing wont do. But yah ill revise, think is though dam wordpad doesnt have a spell checker. Thanks for the input !

[thebigchin]

Wow! You've put in an impressive amount of work. Follow the advice given above and "good luck!"

[sid vicious]

240 loads? that seems like a shit load of dirt!

i dont know how much a dump truck holds but its proably around 8-9 cubic meters.

thats almost 2000 cubic meteres of dirt.

[Lurch]

Dump truck is 9-11 yards if I remember right (depending on the weight of the dirt). 240 seems like alot still but you would be surprised.
Freak, if you dont have a spell check program pm me, I will put it through word for you. The only downside is some of your misspelled words are actually words, you just used the wrong one.
And if your English teacher wouldn't/won't help, he/she is a dick.

[Knnn]

Originally Posted by freakonaleash

alrite thanks. Ill revise it. Presentations tomorrow, english teacher thing wont do. But yah ill revise, think is though dam wordpad doesnt have a spell checker. Thanks for the input !

Hey Josh, great job.

If you know how to use spell and grammar checker in MS Word, try downloading and using Openoffice, which provides a free alternative to the MS office programs. http://www.openoffice.org/

Good luck and I hope that you are not making a verbal presentation as it's going to be a long one! Let us know how you get on.

[Tom]

You should reference whatever document you took that from.

[jzogaris]

holy crap how long did it take you to do all that, i hope they will build one there definatley needs to be more places like that even tho i doubt the prick's will let you build one good luck

[freakonaleash]

Thanks for all the postivie comments. ive got a lot of notes, so i took me like a couple hours to do