Weather postpones Boone bike track opening

BURLINGTON – Kids, adults, pros and novices alike have a new place to ride bikes thanks to a public-private partnership in Boone County.

Erlanger-based nonprofit Riding Forward will celebrate the opening of its 5-acre, off-road cycling park at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at England-Idlewild Park in Burlington.

The grand opening was postponed from Sunday, Oct. 4, because of weather. Boone Parks Director David Whitehouse said the track was in "swampy" condition on Saturday, so plans will be pushed ahead a week.

Riding Forward partnered with the Boone County Parks and Recreation Department to build the England-Idlewild Bike Park, which features options for riders of all ages and skill levels, pump tracks, a dual-slalom course and three jump lines.

The park is designed for bikes of all sizes and disciplines as well as ages from 3 and up, Riding Forward executive director Dave Huff said.

"The beginner pump track is designed around smaller kids bikes from a Strider (kids balance bike) up to 20-inch wheeled BMX bikes but anyone can have fun on it. The other areas are designed to be used by BMX-style bikes and numerous sizes of mountain bikes, even 29-inch XC mountain bikes can navigate some of the features to build their skills," Huff said.

Construction on the park began in May and used over 2,000 volunteer hours — including machinery and man hours donated by Boone County — to build the four tracks.

Mountain biking was already popular at England-Idlewild, so Huff's proposal made good sense, Whitehouse said.

"We have a ton of people who ride on the mountain bike trails anyway," Whitehouse said. Plus, Boone County has hosted three biking races at the park.

The variety of tracks at England-Idlewild Bike Track will be perfect for experienced cyclists and beginners, he added. Because of so much input from Riding Forward and volunteer help, the project cost the county only about $6,000, Whitehouse said, far less than if the county had undertaken the project by itself.

"This is the next wave of bike riding," Whitehouse said. "The cool thing with the little pump tracks is it's an all-age thing. There's little preschool kids out there on their itty-bitty bikes."

The Oct. 11 grand opening festivities will include giveaways, skill challenges, local bike shop involvement, and a visit from some professional cycling athletes.

Huff said the park gives cyclists a place to learn cycling and connect as a community, saying the park will serve as the location for upcoming bicycle clinics for area kids. As a part of Boone County Parks, admission is free, Huff said.

“Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati have not had a place like this to come together and learn and develop as cyclists,” Huff said. “England-Idlewild is the first of hopefully many new offerings for local cyclists of all ages and skill levels.”

The bike track is located at England-Idlewild Park, 5550 Idlewild Road in Burlington.

One of 20 parks and preserves operated and maintained by Boone County, England-Idlewild Park and Dog Park is a 290-acre park that offers three fishing ponds, seven athletic fields, 11 miles of wooded mountain biking trails, an 18-hole disc golf course, and a 4-acre dog park.