FERNDALE - Patrick Doll was among the volunteers who helped build the Dirt Jump Bike Park near Civic Stadium, and thereafter spent many hours with others who loved to launch themselves into the air on mountain and BMX bikes.
Now, he wants to build a similar park in Ferndale, on city-owned land located behind the amphitheater at Pioneer Park, for riders of all ages.
"I ride my bike around town, there's nothing to do. Ferndale needs a bike park," the 32-year-old Ferndale resident said.
Doll is in the beginning stages of his quest.
He's set to talk to the board of the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition - the group that built, and maintains, the bike park on city-owned land in Bellingham - on March 5.
He also will go before the city of Ferndale's parks, recreation and trails advisory board March 21.
Doll said much of the work that would go into building such a park would be done by volunteers.
The BMX rider said he's seen kids from Ferndale at the Bellingham bike park, which opened in 2004, and he remembers growing up as a teen in Ferndale and trying with others to get such a park in his city as well.
"I know how it is being somewhere where there's nothing to ride," Doll said, adding that he has thought more about a bike park in Ferndale since buying a house in May and moving from Bellingham with his family.
Doll has talked to Jori Burnett, the community development director for the city of Ferndale, about his proposal.
"The city knows that teenagers and young people don't have a lot of recreational options in Ferndale," Burnett said.
He said that Doll's proposal occurs as the city's new parks plan is coming through, noting its focus on trail connectivity and reducing the number of future parks in Ferndale with an eye toward actual maintenance costs.
"That is a factor that the council will focus on increasingly over the coming years," Burnett said of maintenance costs.
The city's Planning Commission will have a public hearing on the parks plan at 7 p.m. March 13 in City Council Chambers, 5694 Second Ave. It will then be forwarded to City Council, which is expected to consider it April 1.
Burnett also noted that the uses in Pioneer Park and surrounding areas must be compatible with the park.
"We're neither for nor against it. It's fantastic that he wants to put this together," Burnett said Wednesday, Feb. 20, adding that such a park would need to be sustainable for the city in the long run.
LEARN MORE
Contact Ferndale resident Patrick Doll about his push to have a dirt jump bike park built in Ferndale by emailing bmxer_doll@hotmail.com.
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