Santa Clara’s newest park feature wasted little time drawing a crowd as children were trying to ride the new pump track before its grand opening had even begun.
The Village officially opened the bike park June 26 after years of planning, failed funding attempts, and a push to add another recreation option for local families. The facility includes a larger pump track and a smaller skills course for younger or less experienced riders.
Village Administrator Sheila Hudman said the idea dates back about six to eight years, when former Mayor Richard Welsh explored building a pump track at another location. That proposal did not move forward because the property belonged to a school, but the concept stayed alive.
When another property became available, Hudman and Mayor Arnold Lopez revisited it. The Village considered several options for the site, including basketball and racquetball courts, before choosing the bike park.
Finding the money took three attempts.
Hudman said the Village first pursued legislative appropriations, but the size of the project made that route difficult. Officials later applied through a trails program but could not meet the required match. A state Quality of Life grant for parks ultimately helped move the project forward, with Hudman saying the total cost was about $750,000 between capital outlay and the grant.
American Ramp Company was among those involved in developing the facility, while Village council members, maintenance staff and local contractors also played roles in preparing the project. Lopez said building a pump track required specialized experience.
Once construction began, he said the track itself was finished in about two months.
The course is designed differently from a traditional bike path. Rather than relying on constant pedaling, riders generate speed by shifting their weight and using momentum through rollers, dips, and banked turns.
“It’s a pump track,” Hudman said. “You don’t get on there and just pedal away. You have to use your motion, your leg strength, upper body strength, and once you start moving, it’s like a bobsled.”
A timing system lets riders track their runs, adding another challenge for those trying to improve their speed. Lopez said a professional rider has posted a time of about 13 seconds, giving others a mark to chase.
Next to the main course is a smaller skills area where newer riders can practice turns and learn how to move through the track before taking on the larger course. Hudman said families have already been using the park regularly, especially on Saturdays.
“I was around when some kids didn’t have bikes, and they were asking their mom and dad to buy them a bike already,” Lopez said.
The bike park adds to a recreational area that includes the Roger T. Silva Splash Park and Viola Stone Park. Hudman said the grand opening showed how quickly the new facility had caught people’s attention.
“They’re excited. They love it,” Hudman said. “It’s a showpiece in town.”
Village officials are also looking beyond everyday recreation. Lopez said Santa Clara hopes to begin hosting smaller events and eventually build toward larger competitions that could bring riders and visitors into the area.
“We want to get our feet wet, move forward, and then hopefully we’ll have our own events within the town,” Lopez said.
Hudman said the facility is not limited to BMX riders. Skateboards, scooters and mountain bikes can also use the course, opening it to people with different riding styles and experience levels.
Lopez has already tested it himself.
“It kind of scared me going down that first half,” he said. “Let’s just say my lap is nowhere near what these guys are doing.”
The Village is not finished with the site. Hudman said future additions are expected to include lighting and water fountains, with the lights allowing riders to use the park later during summer evenings.
For Lopez, the project is part of a broader effort to give residents and visitors more reasons to spend time in Santa Clara.
“We may not have a Walmart here because that’s only six miles up the road from us, or a gas station because that’s only two miles away from us,” Lopez said. “But we do have some stuff here for folks to come and use, have a good time and enjoy our village.”
