Bike park working group urges North Mesa site; survey shows broad community support, recommends inclusion in North Mesa plan

Members of the Los Alamos Bike Park working group presented findings and recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Board, saying a bike park at North Mesa is the preferred option for residents and can be funded partly by grants.

Kyle Dickman, a member of the bike park working group, said the group spent eight months developing goals, surveying residents and assessing locations. Nathan Mayer, another working-group member, described the group’s four goals: outline community benefits, define design and safety requirements, engage the community and demonstrate support, and identify suitable locations. Mayer said the working group surveyed residents, evaluated sites and reached out to local trail builders to define design requirements.

The group said survey results from more than 270 respondents showed 89% support for a bike park and that 85% of respondents preferred North Mesa as the site. The working group presented four candidate sites — North Mesa, Olive Street, Overlook Park and Pinion Park — and recommended North Mesa (and Overlook in White Rock) as the best fit based on zoning, access, existing parking and restrooms, size and slope.

On costs, presenters said a paved pump track would cost on the order of $250,000, while a full bike-park facility with progression features, jumps and flow trails would cost roughly $500,000 to $800,000. The working group said grant funding and partnerships could substantially reduce the county’s share.

Presenters emphasized community engagement and outreach: a May 12 listening session drew more than 100 people, the group distributed a survey broadly (including to non-biking groups such as equestrians), and held a public planning workshop that produced designs in which every table included a five-acre bike park within a 26-acre North Mesa concept. The group also described outreach and collaboration with the equestrian community. Jerry (working-group liaison/staff) said outreach found broad equestrian support when buffer areas and routing were included, and he noted Kathy Miller serves as a liaison between the equestrian and bike working groups.

Board members raised questions about previous efforts, funding history and maintenance. One board member asked whether previously allocated county funds for a BMX track remained available. Jerry and a county staff member, Catherine (online), reported that earlier county funding set aside for a BMX track had been reabsorbed into other CIP projects and that there had not been outside grants associated with the earlier effort.

On maintenance, presenters said asphalt pump tracks are preferred because they withstand rain better than dirt, and that the most-maintenance-intensive features (wood ramps for advanced jumps) require periodic repair. Presenters recommended a higher-quality initial investment to lower long-term maintenance costs and suggested partnership with local volunteer groups such as Tough Tikes and Tough Riders to assist with upkeep.

The packet included a recommended action: "the Parks and Recreation Board extends thanks to the bike park working group for their presentation and recommend to council the bike park concept. Furthermore, I move that the presentation be forwarded to council for their consideration." Board members, including Chair Watkins and staff, agreed to defer forwarding the presentation to County Council until after a July 22 public presentation on the North Mesa Recreation Master Plan and follow-up discussions between staff, the working group and County Council representatives. The board therefore tabled the motion and requested further coordination before sending the presentation to council.

Ending: The board thanked the working group for its presentation and asked staff and the working group to confer after the July 22 North Mesa master-plan session before deciding whether to forward the concept to County Council.