In March, the NSMBA applied for and received grant funding from the City of North Vancouver to start the process of sanctioning the Loutet Jump Park. Many cities across Metro Vancouver sanctioned skills parks, including Burnaby, Port Moody, Surrey, the District of North Vancouver and the District of West Vancouver, however the City of North Vancouver does not. The jumps at Loutet have been informally maintained by the community for a long time, and were an obvious first choice for this pilot project.
In Phase 1, using the available grant funds and in-kind donations, we will create a new beginner jump line and formalize the route of the existing hiking path through the park. Specifically, the work would encompass the removal of a 12′ corridor of blackberry bushes and underlying organic material along the north end of the site, and disposal on site. A beginner jump line would be roughed in by Hoots Inc, and shaped by NSMBA volunteers on a weekend volunteer maintenance day. The existing hiking path would be formalized and brought to the west around the skills park. Additional invasive species removal and spot maintenance on the existing features would be accomplished by volunteer efforts. No significant modifications would be made to the existing features during this phase.
Phase 1 will prove to be a demonstration of how local government can innovatively partner with community organizations to deliver a sustainable venue that encourages long-term benefits of health, fitness, and social opportunities in youth. Upon completion of Phase 1, the NSMBA and the City will continue to work together to achieve our goal of creating a youth skills park with a variety of opportunities for all levels of riders to improve their skills in a non-intimidating manner. Recently completed bike parks in both Kelowna and North Saanich are great examples of what can be accomplished!