Sean C. Morgan
Over the past two weeks, James Goble and city staff have been busy repairing and updating the BMX track located at Upper Sankey Park.
Thursday evening, four boys were busy checking out the work completed so far.
“I think it’s awesome,” said Adam Becker, 12.
“This is more than awesome,” said Beau Lamb, 11.
“I like how they got this jump to work,” said Dakota Harrington, 12, gesturing along one of the ridges. “It’s longer, bigger than anything else.”
The three were riding with Tyler Anderson, 9.
Goble and four city staff members met two weeks ago to go over plans for the track, a project Goble started trying to complete in summer 2013.
“We met with James and got a better idea of the vision his group was looking for,” said Public Works Director Mike Adams. “And we’re allocating resources to go out and do some shaping.”
“We narrowed down and tightened the scope of what we needed to get done this month,” Goble said.
A volunteer work party began some of the work the last weekend of August.
A city employee was out one day last week, Adams said. He flattened the main ridge around the track and widened a section.
Previous volunteer work parties this summer primarily focused on cleanup.
The flattening and widening will allow parents and youths to stand along the track and watch, Goble said, while a bench will give them a place to sit.
The city will continue working on the track, using funds dedicated in the budget process along with staff and equipment time as they can.
Knife River has donated three loads of clay and rock to the project.
Followup volunteer work parties will handle the more detailed work shaping the jumps and angles, Goble said. They will set jumps at 30 degrees for younger riders and 45 degrees for bigger riders.
The fine tuning must be done by hand, Goble said.
“I’m ecstatic,” Goble said. “It’s taken awhile, but everything is coming together, the community, the city government; and it’s starting to get done.”
“I’m glad that we’re able to do our part,” Adams said.
Long term, Goble envisions a covered area, like the one at the skate park, picnic tables and a gazebo, where BMX birthday parties could be held.
“We need to make this a usable park, like our bottom park (Lower Sankey Park),” Goble said.
For more information and to get involved, like the Sankey BMX Park Facebook page or call the city planning office at (541) 367-8113.