Elkford’s journey to getting a bike park is a quarter of a million dollars closer, after the Columbia Basin Trust announced a $250k grant towards the project on Thursday (Mar. 10).
The bike park and pump track has been in the works since 2020, with Elkford Biking Club President, Jason Meldrum, leading the charge in campaigning for, and raising funds for more outdoor activities for kids.
“Elkford’s youth have needed this for ages, and it’s been so awesome to work with people who share our passion for this project,” he said.
“As a parent, I was inspired to bring this project forward because I was tired of leaving town so that my son could ride at a bike park. From challenging timelines to pounding the pavement on my lunch-break doing fundraising, it’s been a tremendous amount of work—but so worth it. When it’s completed, Elkford will finally have a place for riders of all ages and abilities to sharpen their skills, forge friendships and have fun.”
Meldrum started his campaign to gain support and secure funding for a bike park back in August 2020, when he put out a call for help. Since then, and since the founding of the Elkford Biking Club, he’s been locking down funding and securing support from wherever he could.
Plans for the park – which was quickly supported by the District of Elkford in 2020 – will see it build on district land in the Boivin Corridor, in downtown Elkford. Designs include a pump track along with a mountain biking trail with lots of features, along with park benches and mining features as a nod to Elkford’s heritage.
“There’s no way we would be here without the district,” said Meldrum.
“This is another giant leap toward achieving Elkford’s Downtown Plan and vastly improving our recreational offerings for youth,” said Jeremy Johnston, who is the district’s Director of Planning and Development Services.
“The District has been supporting the Elkford Biking Club on this project and recently closed a public bid process for the construction of the park, which will occur in summer 2022. We’re so excited to see this one come to fruition—and we’re stoked to ride it, too!”
The park will hopefully be completed sometime in August or September 2022.
Though the $250k grant is in hand, another $125k is needed to cover construction costs, which Meldrum said they were working on.
“We’re finalizing a business package and community fundraiser,” he said. “We have an ambitious target to reach!”
The $250 grant from the CBT is the largest single grant as part of a $1.47 million grant package handed out to 18 different outdoor-focused projects in the Columbia Basin region. Elkford also received another $75k for the resurfacing of tennis courts to make them suitable for multi-sport use.
READ MORE: Elkford Biking Club releases teaser of bike park
scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter