WAUSAU — A group of biking advocates in north-central Wisconsin is getting closer to bringing more extreme conditions to Wausau with the development of mountain bike trails at Sylvan Hill Park.
If the proposal was hatched and nurtured by Central Wisconsin Off-Road Cycling Coalition ultimately, Sylvan Hill will be home to downhill trails for cyclists of all abilities, a pump track and a riding skills area. The flow paths would be single track paths that would wind down the hill adjacent to the current pipe hillside, converging at the bottom, and then looping back up the hill on the other side of the pipe area. The pump track would be shaped like a circular trail with hills and embankments that would allow skilled cyclists to ride with minimal pedaling and employ the slopes to gain momentum. The Riding Skills Area, an area that will facilitate riders develop, will feature a variety of obstacles found in mountain biking.
A bike park would be a significant step forward in helping the Wausau area become an urban center International Mountain Biking Association Riding Center– said Matt Block, vice president. IMBA, the national mountain biking advocacy organization, designates riding centers in areas that have an extensive mountain biking network for riders of all skill levels. IMBA centers often become destinations for athletes from all over the country. To date, two IMBA ride centers have been designated in the Midwest: Cuyuna Lakes in Minnesota and Copper Harbor in Michigan. Both places attract thousands of riders every year.
This is a long-term goal.
The immediate goal of the Sylvan Hill plan is to obtain city approval and funding to develop the final design, which is expected to be completed by summer 2016. If successful, work could begin later next summer. Most likely, however, the actual work will be done in 2017.
A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Oct. 28, at the Sylvan Hill Park Chalet, 1329. Sylvan St. Park and Recreation Commission. Wausau has initially welcomed the bike park idea, but hopes to gather more feedback from area residents before moving forward, said Bill Duncanson, director of the Wausau and Marathon County Recreation and Forest Parks Department.
Duncanson said his department requested $20,000 from Wausau to pay for the final park design. “The proposal is for the money to come from a room tax, which makes sense because the reward is the creation of the IMBA equestrian center, which is a definite tourist attraction.”
Sylvan Hill is a popular winter destination throughout the region as it offers a slope with tubing and a tow rope. The mountain biking proposal would also attract more people to the park in the summer.
This means some changes for residents of the Sylvan Hill neighborhood who have become accustomed to the peaceful summer Sylvan Hill Park and employ it for walks and hikes. It has become a place where neighbors like to walk their dogs, for example. Some neighbors have already expressed opposition to the project.
“I think it’s a completely normal reaction,” Block said. The project will take into account quieter uses of the park, he added.
However, he believes that the positives of the proposal outweigh the negatives. The topography and soils make Sylvan an ideal place for mountain biking. It is also close to Horace Mann Middle and Wausau East High schools, giving students quick access to the area.
“A bike park of this size is a huge asset,” Block said. “We believe this is an important catalyst for even more projects to come forward.”
Keith Uhlig can be reached at 715-845-0651 or [email protected]. Find him on Facebook or Twitter as@UhligK. Keith is a cycling enthusiast and a member of the Central Wisconsin Off-Road Cycling Coalition.
