the newly opened Draper Cycle Park. Photo by Dave Iltis
By Dave Iltis
The Draper Cycle Park opened to much fanfare on June 6, 2015. The park is set across the street from the famed trails at Corner Canyon, and next to the Andy Ballard Equestrian Park at 1455 E. Highland Drive in Draper.
Roughly two hundred riders, and many others came out to try out the new lines and the festival atmosphere. According to Chris Bingham of the Draper Cycle Park Association, there are often a hundred or so riders on weekday evenings too.
The park consists of four new jump lines beginner to expert, a dual pump track, a strider (pedal-less bikes for kids) and a beginner pump track, a mountain bike pocket park (skills area), a technical skills course, a cyclocross venue including a flyover, and easy access to the Corner Canyon Trails. The cyclocross venue with flyover debuted in the fall of 2014 in the Utah Cyclocross Series. A new addition to the cyclocross venue is a set of run up stairs. The cyclocross course also can double as a short track cross country course. The skills line was used in the recent Intermountain Cup Race in Corner Canyon.
The park has something for every skill level of rider and will no doubt become a destination for cyclists across the state and the west.
Future additions include an outdoor velodrome. The city and the Draper Cycle Park Association are hoping to raise $1.5 million for its construction. They hope to begin construction in 2017. Improvements to the cyclocross venue are also coming this summer. Current cost for the park to date is under $100,000 according board member John Newell.
Sagebrush Trails Ric Statten and Bob Radke, Draper Cycle Park
Association’s John Newell and Chris Bingham, Draper City Councilman
Jeff Stenquist, Draper City’s trails person Greg Hilbig, and Draper Cycle
Park Association board member Jason Avery. Photo by Dave Iltis
The park is a collaboration between Draper City and the Draper Cycle Park Association. Key people in Draper City include Greg Hilbig and city councilman Jeff Stenquist. John Newell and Chris Bingham have been driving forces for the DCPA. Sagebrush Trails built the trails. Derek Thompson and Ric Statten were the key trailbuilders along with a number of volunteers.
The Draper Cycle Park is free to use, and is open seven days a week. For more information on the park, visit http://www.drapercyclepark.org/ and http://www.draper.ut.us/index.aspx?NID=427
