In Lawrence, Kansas, a local group has suggested a new BMX track for the city.
The group, called the Lawrence Area Recreation Riders Initiative, proposes to build the track — at no cost to the public — on vacant city park land:
In these demanding and troubled economic times, proponents of many worthy projects appear before a governing body asking for public money to help finance their programs. Let’s hear it for a local group that is willing to pay for its venture if the Lawrence City Commission will only provide a little land.
A local group is interested in setting up and totally paying for a BMX bicycle track. It may take more than $50,000, even as much as $100,000, to get it done, but David Ross and the new Lawrence Area Recreation Riders Initiative are willing to do the fund-raising, at no taxpayer expense, if the city will set aside some land for them, perhaps adjacent to the YSI sports complex south of town.
“What we’re trying to do is promote healthy lifestyles through bicycling,” Ross recently told the commission.
Many details would have to be worked out, including the supervision of a BMX facility, but the early view is that the track would have a number of merits, not the least of which that the proponents are not begging for public funds but are willing to raise the money themselves.
Sounds like a great idea!
You can read more from the Lawrence Journal-World: BMX fans hope city of Lawrence will provide park land for bicycle track, Help ‘em out, Would you like to see a BMX track here in Lawrence?
Kansas currently has two BMX tracks, Heartland BMX in Topeka, and Emery Park BMX in Wichita. BMX tracks in the Kansas City, Missouri area include KC Indoor BMX, Blue Springs BMX, and Raytown BMX. Each of the latter two was built under an arrangement similar to what is being proposed for Lawrence.
