Buellton Gets New Cycling Skills Course at River View Park | Business

Park overlooking the river in Buellton now offers a new cycling skills course open to the public, featuring rollers, berms and jumps for cyclists of all skill levels.
More than 100 community members turned out on opening day, Sept. 17, to celebrate the official opening of the 100-yard mini-pumping course, according to Paul Smith, youth recreation coordinator with the Department of Youth Services. Buellton Recreation.
During the event, toddlers on Strider bikes, youth, teens and adults tested the new track, learned valuable bike safety skills from Sage Trail Alliance, watched an electric bike demonstration by EZ Bike Project and received free helmets offered by SB bike.
“I’m so glad we have a place to ride near where I live,” said a college student who regularly rides the trail with his friends and is part of Buellton’s Trips for Kids mountain biking chapter, also a supporter of the project. .
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Smith proposed the idea of a new lead to Buellton City Council and received unanimous support. Using time to their advantage, several volunteers broke new ground near the eastern end of the park and worked over the past year to create a space for adults and children to improve their riding on bikes.
Watching the children hitting the jumps, local resident Efren Padilla, who volunteered to work on the course, recalled his own childhood.
“When I was a kid, I used to build jumps all over town, so I had places to cycle, but they were always dismantled,” said Padilla. “Now it’s good to be able to legally build trials for the kids and to know that they will have a place to cycle and progress in the sport.
A young cyclist on his balance bike tries out the new skills course at Buellton’s River View Park.
In addition to Padilla, Smith said expert trail builder Chris Orr, who helped design and build the mini pump track, and DJ Dunn of Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation were key partners in getting the project started, by donating their time, expertise and equipment to complete Phase I in time for opening day.
“It’s great to be able to work in tandem with the city and to see an idea that will improve the community become a reality,” said Dunn.
Smith said he and his team of volunteers are eager to kick off Phase II of the project, which will feature wooden elements and allow runners to progress to more advanced levels. The city has designated some of its Prop 68 The grant funds per capita towards its completion.
The trail is now regularly used by residents of the community and is a positive space for children and adults, Smith said.
The River View Park course is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset.
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Lisa André covers lifestyle and local news for Santa Ynez Valley News and Lompoc Record, as part of the Santa Maria Times.