Kelowna needs a downhill bike park EXACTLY like Kamloops

[ogopogodude]

If anybody is familiar with Kamloops, there has been a wonderful bike park that is used for downhill racing and general biking. In my opinion, build it and they will come. And it isn't even expensive to build. Have BobCat, will create. Yes, there is Vernon's Silver Star mountain, and that is fantastic. But Kelowna could use a smaller version of SS, ... for youngsters and anybody of any age, really. Somewhere near Okanagan Mountain would be great, but anywhere would work. Bike shop owners would be all for it as this would spark interest in the sport. Businesses would boom in the city. (Also, getting off topic, and in my opinion, is that downhill biking should be a summer Olympic sport).

[Gilchy]

Someone hasn't been biking up Gillard.

[Steve-O]

Just got back from riding the Test of Metal in Squamish. We went for 5 days to enjoy more of the area and to ride a ton of other trails. I have to agree with ogopogodude, Kelowna is missing a big opportunity. A skills park right near the bottom of Knox would be ideal and build local trails - including Gillard - to a higher standard and add another dimension to Kelowna's attractions.

[Glacier]

Williams Lake has some like Kamloops too. Starts right at my dad's place. Kelowna should join the club, though you can't have everything, so maybe not.

[Gixxer]

Even Merritt has one

[lightspeed]

Kelowna had one off of Springfield. It cost taxpayers $250k and it is hardly used, all gone to rack and ruin.

Sad state of affairs. It should be sold off for development to recoup the costs.

[GordonH]

Kelowna had one off of Springfield. It cost taxpayers $250k and it is hardly used, all gone to rack and ruin.

Sad state of affairs. It should be sold off for development to recoup the costs.

Downhill bike park on Springfield, where exactly

[Even Steven]

Kelowna had one off of Springfield.

Too bad it's not downhill and it's not a park.

[Glacier]

Kelowna (and the Okanagan in general) only think about the money. They think, "how much land can we sell at maximum price as quickly as possible so we can vote ourselves another raise?" By contrast, Kamloops thinks,"maybe we should create the largest urban park in British Columbia so that it can be used for mountain biking."

[Hassel99]

If anybody is familiar with Kamloops, there has been a wonderful bike park that is used for downhill racing and general biking. In my opinion, build it and they will come. And it isn't even expensive to build. Have BobCat, will create. Yes, there is Vernon's Silver Star mountain, and that is fantastic. But Kelowna could use a smaller version of SS, ... for youngsters and anybody of any age, really. Somewhere near Okanagan Mountain would be great, but anywhere would work. Bike shop owners would be all for it as this would spark interest in the sport. Businesses would boom in the city. (Also, getting off topic, and in my opinion, is that downhill biking should be a summer Olympic sport).

So go buy the land and build it.

[lightspeed]

Kelowna (and the Okanagan in general) only think about the money. They think, "how much land can we sell at maximum price as quickly as possible so we can vote ourselves another raise?" By contrast, Kamloops thinks,"maybe we should create the largest urban park in British Columbia so that it can be used for mountain biking."

How so, when local mountain bikers were allocated $250k to build a park? Your comments make no sense. It was a generous offer, totally wasted as the park was never maintained and became a weed infested wasteland.

[lightspeed]

Downhill bike park on Springfield, where exactly

Hollywood Road. Still there, I think.

[Farmmaa]

Hollywood Road. Still there, I think.

Still there...and yes Even Steven, it is a park.

No, it is not a 'downhill park'....but has a lot of hills, towers, obstacles, etc for beginners and intermediate riders to practice on.
It is, unfortunately, usually pretty empty.

Kelowna has one thing that Kamloops doesn't - hundreds of miles of forested mountains right in our back yards. They are used by mountain bikes constantly...trust me, they almost run down my dog and myself every time we go hiking.
So, with all of those mountain trails for free - I can't really see any of these guys actually paying to use a park very often.

[Glacier]

Kelowna has one thing that Kamloops doesn't - hundreds of miles of forested mountains right in our back yards.

Surely you're kidding. I used to live in Kamloops, and there were hundres of miles of forested mountains right behind my house.

[GordonH]

Downhill bike park on Springfield, where exactly

Hollywood Road. Still there, I think.

So what the Greenway, other then that its just bunch of orchards