Mountain biking enthusiasts of all ages will soon have more terrain to ride in Vernon thanks to generous funding from the Province of British Columbia.
The City of Vernon is pleased to receive $500,000 from the Destination Development Fund from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport for the revitalization of Becker Bike Park.
“We are very excited to receive this funding. The revitalization of Becker Bike Park will help create a modern mountain bike skills park in the heart of our City; providing a safe, fun, and progressive environment for riders of all abilities,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “On behalf of the City, I would like to thank the Government of British Columbia for providing this funding.”
The project is currently in the design phase. Early plans for the revitalization project include improvements and additions to the trail network, a paved pump track, a bike skills area, a dirt jumps area, new signage, and a parking lot renewal. The design phase is expected to proceed through the summer and fall of 2023, with construction expected to begin in spring 2024.
“We're excited to see this funding come in and boost the successes of Becker Park to the next level,” said Jason Martin, Trails Director with North Okanagan Cycling Society. “We've been working for a long time to find a suitable venue for a paved pump track and dirt jumps, and now it's good to see it happening. This project will also bring improvements and expansion to the existing trail system and will provide a fun, playful, progressive playground for all ages and abilities. This is a great win for the community and will provide a long-lasting high-end facility for many.”
The revitalization of Becker Bike Park is included in the City of Vernon’s Parks Master Plan, and supports Tourism Vernon’s Five-Year Strategy.
Vernon’s mountain bike trail network includes Becker Bike Park and the Predator Ridge trails, which are part of a larger network of trails throughout Greater Vernon which also include Ellison, Silver Star and Kalamalka Lake Provincial Parks and the SilverStar Mountain Resort trail network.
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