Photo Report: Sunnyside Bike Park Grand Opening

Sunnyside Bike Park, Toronto’s first-ever off-road bike park, hosted its official grand opening this weekend. The Bike Park opened its doors to the public earlier this summer and has already been enjoyed by thousands of cycling enthusiasts. Special dignitaries such as Sarah Doucette (Councillor for Ward 13), Peggy Nash (MP for Parkdale High-Park), and Scott Laver (City of Toronto), TORBA (Toronto Off-Road Bicycle Association) and IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) Canada, joined members of the community to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The park’s designer and builder, Jay Hoots, also flew in from his hometown of West Vancouver, British Columbia, for this special occasion.

The strip of land upon which the Park is built was originally intended to become a parking lot. A need to remove unauthorized dirt jumps in High Park brought together visionaries with the courage and determination to make mountain bikers’ dreams come true. The Sunnyside Bike Park has accomplished its mission and beyond.

The greatest gift that the Park has provided the City is a place for kids to play. This world-class Park has given children, young and old, a place to be a kid. In an age when children spend all their time in either a classroom environment or organized sports/activities – it leaves little, if any, time for unstructured play. At Sunnyside Bike Park, kids make their own schedule, teams, friends and are free to express and challenge themselves at their own pace. Despite being wedged between the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard in the southwest corner of High Park, the park feels like a infinite green-space: a place where kids can really breathe.

Roughly 60 people (ranging in age from 3 to seventy) came out on the beautiful Saturday in Toronto to thank those responsible for the park and to ride with Jay and friends. There are still many plans to come that will make the Park even better, but it’s clear by the Park’s overwhelming popularity that it has filled a much-needed void.

Here are a few of our images from the great day at Sunnyside Bike Park in Toronto. Stay up-to-date with our Sunnyside forum: https://www.ridingfeelsgood.com/forum/riding/greater-toronto-area/sunnyside-bike-park/

It was a great day playing bikes at Sunnyside. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the momentous day.

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