[BBTC]

Colonnade (aka I-5 Open Space) mountain bike park design review meeting tonight (tuesday July 20) at BBTC. Sign Up Here!

BBTC is designing and building a 2 acre mountain bike park under the freeway in Seattle between Capitol Hill and Eastlake. Come and provide your input and feedback and help create an amazing urban bike park.

More info about the park here.

 

[mattv2099]

I'd be afraid to ride down there. I'd be too worried about getting mugged or having my bike stolen.

 

[RhinofromWA]

I'd be afraid to ride down there. I'd be too worried about getting mugged or having my bike stolen.

Is that fear based on a real life experience?

I don't live in Seattle (I am in Lynnwood) but when I have ridden in DT Seattle I have never had any issues with fealing like I was going to get mugged when on my bike. If you have a riding buddy it would be much less likely to happen also.

The project will be part of a dog park (adjacent to the bike park) so there will mostlikely be people around all the time.

I just find it odd you write off going there without a reason to be scared.

 

[JRA]

Collonade Project

The project will be part of a dog park (adjacent to the bike park) so there will mostlikely be people around all the time.

I just find it odd you write off going there without a reason to be scared.

I don't recall all the project details but there will be also an urban trail adjacent to the off-leash dog area and also commuter routes alongside the park. Certainly you have to be aware of your surroundings no matter where you go but I agree w/ Rhino ... I don't think I'd be afraid to go down there for a bike ride. It'll be a huge improvement over what's there now.

 

[FM]

Don't you know? all the homeless people moved to the eastside!

I'd be afraid to ride down there. I'd be too worried about getting mugged or having my bike stolen.

 

[<sL4yEr>RuLz]

Don't you know? all the homeless people moved to the eastside!

FM! Yo, dude, whatup? Your crew planning anu local rides soon? Or is that Canadian Maple Leaf still heavily influencing you?

-Matt

 

[mattv2099]

Is that fear based on a real life experience?

I don't live in Seattle (I am in Lynnwood) but when I have ridden in DT Seattle I have never had any issues with fealing like I was going to get mugged when on my bike. If you have a riding buddy it would be much less likely to happen also.

The project will be part of a dog park (adjacent to the bike park) so there will mostlikely be people around all the time.

I just find it odd you write off going there without a reason to be scared.

No, my fear is not based on real life experience.

I just went to the website and saw the pictures of the location and thought 'theres no way in hell i'd ride there!' It looked like some skanky bum motel under the freeway.

If they do cyclocross races there then I'd surely show up (along with 500 other people).

cyclocross pwns.

 

[RhinofromWA]

No, my fear is not based on real life experience.

I just went to the website and saw the pictures of the location and thought 'theres no way in hell i'd ride there!' It looked like some skanky bum motel under the freeway.

If they do cyclocross races there then I'd surely show up (along with 500 other people).

cyclocross pwns.

It is a "bum motel" (or was) that is why turning it into a park and fixing it up is to eliminate the homeless from habitating the area. It is under the freeway and will be dry year round....have lights (most likely) for evening action.

They are fixing up and utilizing the area so it will not be a "bum motel"

I don't know if it is big enough for a Cyclocross race but it would be fun to get some miles on in there during a nasty winter in WA.

 

[mattv2099]

It is a "bum motel" (or was) that is why turning it into a park and fixing it up is to eliminate the homeless from habitating the area. It is under the freeway and will be dry year round....have lights (most likely) for evening action.

They are fixing up and utilizing the area so it will not be a "bum motel"

I don't know if it is big enough for a Cyclocross race but it would be fun to get some miles on in there during a nasty winter in WA.

Ok then. If they build this place and it gets great reviews then I might be pursuaded to show up. However, I'm still thinking it might be great for cyclocross...

You don't need much space for cyclocross races. Just lots of parking.

But it would really suck to get a flat tire from a needle. Or crash out on some broken glass and get aids or something. Or get human feces in your face when the rider in front of you plows over a pile. Gives me the shivers thinking about the place.

 

[RhinofromWA]

Ok then. If they build this place and it gets great reviews then I might be pursuaded to show up. However, I'm still thinking it might be great for cyclocross...

You don't need much space for cyclocross races. Just lots of parking.

But it would really suck to get a flat tire from a needle. Or crash out on some broken glass and get aids or something. Or get human feces in your face when the rider in front of you plows over a pile. Gives me the shivers thinking about the place.

A large part of teh plan is to bring in new "dirt" (rock, gravel,sand, whatever) to cover teh dirty dirt (decades of highway run off, homeless toilet, etc)

I really think your concerns are a little dramatic. Come to one of the meetings. I have been to two so far....please, find out more about it before you go around berating it.

I have very little experience with CX but I thought you guys like it better when there is 3 inches of snot to roll run through. This park will most likely stay dry all the way through the winter. And it will twist and wind around like the Worm. Lots of corners. I guess you could bust out some temp bariers and get CX with it.

Like I said show up to the next meeting. It will be in2 weeks probably up at the SandPoint park (old naval station) but check with the guys that really know cause I am NOT in the know.

 

[FM]

always and always. We're riding tiger tonight, parking lot at 5:45. Everybody's bringing lights so we can ride past dark. I'm heading up to squamish and whistler this weekend. PM me if you're interested in hooking up- we're riding thursdays. Sundays too, but I'll be out of town the next few weekends. Cool Mang!

FM! Yo, dude, whatup? Your crew planning anu local rides soon? Or is that Canadian Maple Leaf still heavily influencing you?

-Matt

As for the park, I think the idea is for it to be more of a skills park, similar to whistler's "river runs through it" or even tower of power / tapeworm. Easy skinnies, log rides, small drops, jumps, and twisty trails. CX is fun but who else would use a cross course? Not me. Anyways I suppose whoever volunteers time to build the trails they want, will descide what we get. Sign me up!

 

[thesacrifice]

Hehe, sounds like you believe this might be the Burnside Skatepark equivalent of Seattle.

The Burnside skatepark in Portland is under the Burnside Bridge, known for being a "hard" place and a hang out/toilet for transients and heroin kids

 

[borregokid]

Fortunately we dont have to look too far to find one of the poorest designed urban parks in the country, that just down the freeway a mile or so "Freeway Park." This shouldnt have the problems of Freeway Park, which is all the blind corners, although the pillars make some blind spots. It will take some dedicated bikers living or working in the area to make the park work. I think the main problem here will be trash and maybe human waste.