City council has approved a new mountain bike skills park in Queen Elizabeth Park, clearing the way for construction to begin next year in Edmonton’s river valley, despite concerns about site selection and ecological impacts. Read More
The mountain bike facility would be in a primarily forested area of Queen Elizabeth Park
The mountain bike facility would be in a primarily forested area of Queen Elizabeth Park
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City council has approved a new mountain bike skills park in Queen Elizabeth Park, clearing the way for construction to begin next year in Edmonton’s river valley, despite concerns about site selection and ecological impacts.
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The project has sparked both excitement from recreational advocates and concern from environmental voices, with debate centring on whether the development belongs in Edmonton’s most treasured green space.
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“I think this is a great idea. And frankly, if not here, then where?” said Coun. Tim Cartmell at Wednesday’s council meeting. “This is the best possible outcome, and we should grab hold of it.”
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What’s being proposed?
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The Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance (EMBA), a local non-profit, is leading the effort to build the bike skills park through a community-led construction project. The park would occupy seven acres of land in Queen Elizabeth Park, across the river south of Downtown, on a site that formerly housed a wastewater treatment facility. That land has since been reclaimed, making it suitable for redevelopment with limited ecological disruption, according to a city report.
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The proposed facility will include four core features — flow trails weaving through the wooded area and linking with existing paths, a skills trail lined with wood and rock materials, an asphalt pump track designed for multiple wheeled sports, and a jump park built with soil and granular material over the natural grade. City noted the site’s design aims to concentrate activity in an already disturbed brownfield, with limited tree removal and new native planting planned as part of the restoration.
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Operating costs for the city are expected to be between $35,000 and $60,000 annually, with EMBA handling much of the ongoing maintenance.
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City administration said that this is the only site in Edmonton currently identified for a bike skills park through an existing master plan, which “makes it hard to even suggest other locations that could be looked at.”
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As city council voted Wednesday to approve the environmental impact assessment and site location study for the bike skills park, and deemed the river valley location essential, EMBA can now move forward with detailed design and construction, expected to begin in 2025 and conclude in 2026.
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Environmental review and mitigation
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Since the project falls within the protected boundaries of the river valley, a detailed environmental impact assessment was required. The city’s report concludes that, while there will be temporary and localized environmental impacts during construction, there are no significant long-term negative effects expected if the recommended mitigation strategies are followed.