Bijou Bike Park on Tuesday's City Council agenda

The Bijou Bike Park will take a step towards reality on Tuesday if the South Lake Tahoe City Council votes to approve the funding and in-kind services staff is recommending.

Members of the Bijou Bike Park Association (BBPA) presented the original project to the City back in September of 2011, and since then they've been working non-stop in their efforts to create the park. South Lake Tahoe BMX and Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association have been helping BBPA in their efforts.

The plan has been revised to fit the City's recreation and parks plan and has been either approved or supported by the City Planning Commission, City Parks & Recreation Commission, El Dorado County Joint Powers Authority (Measures R and S) as well as the City Council through their vote to spend $100,000 on the project in August of 2014.

The project consists of various compacted dirt courses/features and hardscape areas, and has been designed to include two (2) pump tracks, a BMX race track, kids learning zone, and a terrain park within approximately five undeveloped acres of the Bijou Park area. The park will also include a hardscape paver stone entry area with signage that describes the park and its rules; bleachers for spectator seating; a future announcer booth; storage shed; and water and power utilities to service the park.

The new bike park would replace the less formal BMX track existing at the South Tahoe Middle School and provide a broader biking experience including the ability to host events sanctioned by USA BMX. The park, once constructed, will become a City asset and will be open to the public and available for special events, as approved by the Recreation Manager.

The City Council meets on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at the South Lake Tahoe airport at 9 a.m.