Friday, February 08, 2013

Standard-Examiner: Bike Park in Ogden Gains Momentum

Ogden City's contribution to this proposed venture appears to be thus far limited to a measly thousand bucks

Chirpy story in this morning's Standard-Examiner, breathlessly announcing Ogden City's newest proposed high-adventure recreation attraction. Mitch Shaw's lead paragraphs provide the gist:
OGDEN — A plan to bring a new bike park to Ogden is quickly gaining speed.
With some help from Ogden city, a volunteer committee made up of local off-road bike enthusiasts will begin constructing a multidimensional bike park early this spring.
Shannon Nutley, an Ogden resident who has had a hand in the organization effort, said the park will be located in the foothills above Ogden, between 9th and 12th streets.
The park will feature three one-way trails, all varying in degree of difficulty.“There will be something for everyone,” Nutley said, “from the novice to the expert.”
Check out the interesting full article here:
Don't miss the additional conversation in the S-E comments section, folks, where Gentle Reader Dan S. inadvertantly provokes a "spirited" discussion with this legitimate-enough early a.m. remark:
This article is frustratingly vague about who is actually in charge of the bike park. The land is owned by Fife, and I think (?) the city has some sort of contract with them for use of the land. The article says no city general funds will be used, but the Facebook page for the 2/22 event   says the city will match all funds raised. And who's handling the money--the city or someone else?
There's plenty of enthusiasm from the promoters of this project, so it seems to us, judging from the SE comments generated to date. Whether the same will be true of the owners of residential properties abutting the foothills above Ogden (between 9th and 12th Streets) is still anybody's guess, of course.

And in the interest of throwing our own WCF contribution to this developing discussion, here's a link to a copy of the City's "interim" contract with Alpine Trails for the "design work," (miraculously obtained by Dan S. this morning via GRAMA request), which appears to indicate that Ogden City's contribution to this venture is thus far limited to a measly  thousand bucks.
Gotta say we don't yet know what to make of this project at this early juncture, although we'll definitely be keeping a close eye on it as the story develops.

The floor's open, O Gentle Ones, for anyone who'd like to throw in their own 2¢ here, of course.

1 comment:

Dan S. said...

Just to clarify, the bike park project at this location isn't exactly new; it was announced a couple of years ago, if I recall correctly. But it seems to have acquired some new energy, and the idea of hiring a contractor, Alpine Trails, does seem to be new.

I still don't know whether this project has been authorized or funded by the city council as part of the capital improvement plan.

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