First came the fundraising and next comes the vision.
That was the update from Ryan Conley, one of the coaches of the Team Coyote bike racing team, who has been working alongside Gravel Cycling Hall of Famer Yuri Hauswald with the Chase the Race fundraiser. The fundraiser, which ended Saturday, has been raising money to support the construction of a new bike park in Emporia and according to Conley, has managed to raise nearly $90,000, thanks to more than $45,000 in donations for Hauswald’s charity ride in this year’s Unbound 200-mile ride and a $40,000 donation from Lifetime.
With that money now in hand, Conley says the next step will be securing contracts with designers.
Local project leaders have been working closely with American Ramp Co., which designed Emporia’s new skate park in Whittier Park, which officially opened last July. Conley says they will likely continue with the company on contracted terms for several reasons, namely the existing relationship and the fact that American Ramp already has a good lay of the land in Emporia.
Conley adds that a crucial piece of the design process will be input from both local youth and “end users.”
Several amenities have already been discussed through the early phases of the fundraising venture and while a location for the park has yet to be officially declared, organizers have been eyeing Whittier as the likely destination.
