Wooden skatepark CHICAGO, IL

for bikeparks

The surge of public bike parks for urban centers has continued to gain traction and has become a part of the basic vocabulary of park planning professionals. When the Friends of Big Marsh envisioned a Chicago’s bike park at the once bustling industrial hub, their hope was to protect, regain, and recreate natural resources that were threatened during the previous century. The initial park, opened in 2016, included robust single track, and mountain bike and BMX jump lines utilizing PBR purpose-built prefabricated bike features to ensure an ideal ride, longevity and erosion control, and minimal maintenance and cost of ownership for the foundation and park district. In 2020, Chicago Park District and the Friends of Big Marsh once again contracted with ARC to provide two Velosolutions Asphalt Pumptracks as options for all-weather cycling opportunities at Chicago’s bike park. The term Bike Park can mean a lot of things: skills course, jump lines, flow trails, or any combination of purpose-built, off-road, or mountain biking facility. Fortunately, American Ramp Company, through our sister company Progressive Bike Ramps, offers all things Bike Park, including design and construction. A city typically has facilities for most sports, but city planners and stakeholders often overlook mountain biking. In the past, mountain bikers had to rely on their own skills in ramp and obstacle building to practice their sport. In recent years, progressive-minded communities have invested in formal Bike Parks and have experienced resounding positive feedback. Quickly, Bike Parks have become one of the highest demanded amenities for a park system.