Overpasses over intersections help vehicles get from one place to another safely, and the same will be true at Bainbridge Island’s new mountain bike park.
They are planned as a safety feature to help the flow of cyclists on the trails. But bike committee member David Maron said they’re more than that. “The idea of creating artistically designed overpasses is very important to making it feel like a special place,” he said at a recent meeting of the Bainbridge Island Metro Parks & Recreation District.
Parks Natural Resources manager Lydia Roush said staff has been working with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance to design the park. The committee has hosted two community walk-throughs, and one more is planned. They will also be working with the BI Parks & Trails Foundation to fundraise. The bike park will be located on the 10-acre parcel west of Strawberry Hill Park; land donated to accommodate a bike park and to enlarge the dog park.
The creation of the bike park will be paired with a revitalization of the forest that is degraded and in need of thinning and vegetation enhancement to restore ecological functions, minutes of the meeting say. Interpretive signage and Japanese architectural elements are planned to pay homage to the Hayashida family that used to own the property and farm strawberries there.
Trail project manager Brian Tustison and trail builder Matt Blossom with Evergreen said the site has great topography for a bike park that is being designed as family oriented. The design is a modified stacked loop system that includes a start ramp and skill-building features. Trail construction is focused on sustainability, drainage, sight lines and speed control. The estimated cost is $415,000. Tustison said it will take six to nine months to build, depending on volunteer support and structure design. He said fundraising can be done concurrently with forest restoration, preliminary planning and permitting.
Foundation executive director Mary Meier said the bike park has a very active user group, and the foundation will be applying for grants. Park Services Division director Dan Hamlin said the plan is to share the design with the community then bring it back to a board meeting in January for approval.
“The bike park plan is great as it addresses a wide range of user levels that will keep users coming back,” Maron said in the minutes.
Meanwhile, senior planner Perry Barrett said two trail segments consisting of three easements will be transferred from the foundation to parks. The first is the O’Donald easement adjacent to Blakely Harbor Park that goes to Tani Creek Road. The second two easements relate to the Vincent Road trail connection on the east side of Gazzam Lake Nature Preserve and the connection over to Kojima Avenue.
Meier said that it is important to create walkable routes to public lands. Foundation projects director Barb Trafton said that regarding the Vincent Road easement connection, one easement is the corridor trail, and one allows the trail to be widened to weave around trees.
Commissioner Ken DeWitt said that the O’Donald easement puts together another piece of the trail that was promised back in 2004. He said his understanding of the easements near the preserve is that they do not connect into the actual preserve. Trafton said they could eventually connect to the Opal Ridge trail that goes into the preserve. Commissioner Jay Kinney said this is just a transfer of existing easements, and they will not yet connect a trail into the preserve.
In public comments, Mark Hoffman spoke in support of delaying the transfer of trail easements near the preserve. Lisa Macchio said she does not support trail connections to the preserve. And, Dale Spoor spoke about the importance of maintaining it as a nature preserve.
Also, Hamlin said there will be a meeting with city staff regarding the Strawberry Hill Park artificial turf field. Grants received from BI foundation this year total about $100,000. And the consultant’s report regarding the Ray Williamson pool is expected to be completed in January. Recreation Division director Mark Benishek said water fitness classes are returning to pre-COVID levels, and Eagledale Pottery Studio now has a pug mill that allows staff and participants to recycle clay.
In other news:
• DeWitt asked about a permit for the new playground at the Fort Ward Parade Grounds, and Hamlin said the city is going to require one. Tom Swolgaard said that park district’s attorney should be involved as that is not in the code, and the district has never had to get a permit for a playground before. Hamlin said the city is tying the permit to accessibility, and if it continues down this path it may be the end of custom playgrounds. DeWitt also stopped by Fay Bainbridge Park and got a tour of cabin five, and he said the view is incredible. He also complimented staff for a tree planted recently at Cave Family Heritage Park in memory of Tyler Peterson. And he asked when the preliminary report regarding the planning for the entirety of Strawberry Hill Park will be done. Hamlin said he will follow up on that.
• Kinney said in a meeting for BI Swim Club parents and parks staff, the parents were supportive of coach Kyle Harris, who just underwent an extensive investigation regarding behavior.
• Commissioner Dawn Janow said there may be a resurgence of adult roller hockey on BI.
During public comments, Paul Sullivan and Loanne Harmeling spoke in favor of more BI outdoor tennis courts.
