Sport gets spot for its dirty fun Sport gets spot for its dirty fun (April 16, 2004)

BMX dream to become a reality
by Teresa C. Brown

There is a secret, informal group in Pleasanton. It meets clandestinely at locations throughout the city, and if discovered, its sporting sites are razed and it moves on to find another place. But within the coming months, this underground network may get a permanent, legal home for its dirty fun.

The group's members are bicycle motocross (BMX) riders - adults and children - who enjoy the thrills of riding their bicycles on dirt. But they have not had a legal place to enjoy their raw dirt riding until a recent City Council approval opened the doors for them.

The Parks and Community Services Department has been forging ahead with the bike park's development, working hot on the heels of the council's waterslide expansion approval, which created the opportunity for the BMX park.

A public meeting is slated for 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 26, at the Veterans Memorial Building, 301 Main St., to gather input on the BMX park design from adults and children alike, said Jim Wolfe, director for the parks department. All interested persons are invited to attend or can call the department with questions and comments at 931-5340.

Wolfe said he expects parents to have questions about the plans and he hopes people would come with suggestions and comments about the design and layout.

Currently, the parks department is negotiating a lease with the East Bay Regional Park District for the BMX park. The 2-3/4-acre park will be located in Shadow Cliffs Regional Park on Stanley Boulevard with bike path access.

Among the park's amenities, Wolfe said, there will be modest parking that would also serve as a drop-off point; a water source for drinking or to dampen dirt for jumps; and "port-a-potty" restroom facilities. Although the enclosed park will not be staffed, it will be open daily from dawn to dusk.

The park is expected to cost $75,000, which has already been set aside, Wolfe said, and the parks department will absorb its operation expense.

Wolfe said he expected that the park's general rules, requiring safety gear and appropriate behavior, will be self-policed by the users, as it is at other parks such as the skateboard area in the Sports Park.

Self-policing works, said Shane Huntoon, track director for both San Ramon and Livermore's BMX tracks. "The kids police themselves and most follow the rules," he said, adding that occasional adolescents who make trouble are the exception.

A BMX demonstration and a temporary course will be set up during the Bernal Block Party on May 15, Wolfe said. Huntoon will oversee the temporary course, and he and his wife will also hold demonstrations on their bikes as well as pass out information about the sport.

"I'll bring two bikes, a cruiser (24-inch-wheeled bicycle) and a 20-inch," said Huntoon, who has been involved in the sport since 1980.

The sport appeals to a wide-range of ages, he said. "We just had a 3-year-old girl sign up in Livermore," he said. That track also had a 60-year-old Martinez man and his 6-year-old grandson racing, he said.

Those wanting to try out their skills at the Bernal Block Party track must wear safety gear and helmets, and children must have a signed waiver and liability release form that is available in advance at the parks department, 200 Old Bernal Ave.

As to the park's opening, Wolfe said, "We're working as quickly as we can. It could be as soon as six months."

It is a long time coming, said parent Julie Testa, who is a member of the Youth Master Plan Implementation Committee, one of the groups that must approve the park's design. Testa has been a longtime advocate for the park. "It's been a decade asking for dirt," she said. Although BMX park supporters have been disappointed in the past because of dragging bureaucracy, she said she felt that this plan would become a reality.

Testa's oldest son, Chris, 19, has also long wanted a park. He attended his first City Council meeting when he was 8 or 9 years old to appeal to council members for a place to ride.

"We were asking to have a BMX park in Pleasanton," said Chris Testa. "We understood it would take time and they would have to shift through red tape. We were just asking that they set aside part of some land."

Testa recalled that he and friends would set up jumps in creeks and in Zone 7-owned property. "It was getting bulldozed overnight. We continually had to move to 'illegal' property to ride on."

Chris was one of many who enjoy the sport. "When I was riding, you would see 20 to 25 boys riding around almost anytime after school during the day. And in the summer, it was packed," he said.

Although Chris and one of his brothers do not ride BMX anymore, he is excited to see the park open for his youngest brother, who is in fifth grade. "I'm excited. I can't wait to do down there and see the guys riding around," he said.

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