Interested in a BMX and snowboard park at Finn Hill?

Can you imagine a bicycle motocross/ snowboard park at Finn Hill? Andre Riopel, a local cycling advocate and a founding member of Sault Trails Advocacy Committee, can. And he'd like to know whether anyone else is interested in making it happen.

Can you imagine a bicycle motocross/ snowboard park at Finn Hill?

Andre Riopel, a local cycling advocate and a founding member of Sault Trails Advocacy Committee, can.

And he'd like to know whether anyone else is interested in making it happen.

An open meeting will be held at 7 p.m. tonight at Sault College in Room J1140 for anyone interested in being on a committee to push this idea forward, Riopel advises SooToday.com.

"BMX and snowboard parks are sprouting up across the country in many progressive communities," Riopel tells us. "BMX racing and snowboarding are now Olympic sports. Currently, the only dirt park in Sault Ste Marie is a private park located at Velorution Bicycle Shop on Old Garden River Road."

That facility is now overcrowded, says Riopel, the park owner.

"I would like to see the development of these community based non-motorized facilities to give more opportunities for cycling and snowboarding for people of all ages," he says. "Cycling is experiencing a renaissance in Sault Ste. Marie and we need to provide safe public facilities to encourage more children to cycle".

Riopel says BMX bikes are typically the first bicycles owned by children and this is where they really learn to ride well and safely - in BMX parks.

The Sault Ste. Marie skateboard park is off-limits to two wheelers and riders don't really have any other place to go, he said.

Riopel attributes the increased popularity of cycling in Sault Ste. Marie to many factors including the creation of the Hub trail.

"We are entering an era where the bicycle will become a much more common way of life due to rising oil prices, climate change and health awareness," he says. "Sault Ste. Marie has many great potential sites for a BMX/ snowboard park and Finn Hill is particularly well suited because of its accessibility, visibility and layout."

A small BMX park could easily and inexpensively be developed without affecting current users, at the same time promoting increased use of this city gem, he says.