Apopka staff and SORBA pitch 14.5‑acre mountain bike park; council asks for cost and maintenance estimates

Community development staff and representatives from SORBA Orlando proposed a mountain bike park concept for approximately 14.5 acres at 1102 Ocoee Apopka Road on Feb. 7. The concept includes singletrack trails, a pump track, a skills area and adaptive facilities for riders with mobility aids; staff noted the site was acquired through an interlocal transfer and requires future land‑use and zoning changes before development.

Susan Van Burnham, president of SORBA Orlando, described the group’s volunteer trail‑building and maintenance work, highlighted examples such as the Orlando Mountain Bike Park and Mount Dora facilities, and said SORBA could provide technical design and volunteer maintenance. Parks Director Radley Williams said preliminary infrastructure needs would include parking and restrooms (prefab restroom costs estimated in the $60,000–$100,000 range) and that a fully accessible asphalt pump track is a higher initial cost item; he said staff could flesh out a capital cost estimate to include maintenance and lifecycle expenses for council review.

Council members generally expressed support for developing recreation in the southern area of the city but asked staff to return with cost estimates, maintenance plans and budget timing tied to the capital cycle. Staff said the city could proceed with planning work without committing construction funds in the current budget year and would return with cost projections during the next budget cycle if council desired.