Matt Staneland鈥檚 hands are going to spend more time on the handlebars and less time on the reins as the Jasper Park Cycling Association (JPCA) rolls on with a new president.
On May 28 the JPCA elected Manu Loir-mongazon its new president at their annual general meeting.
Staneland鈥檚 tenure started when the group was formed in 2012 and ends as the next phase of work on the technical bike park proposed for the west end of town begins. He will continue to spearhead that project while Loir-mongazon focuses on growing the JPCA as a whole and building or improving metaphorical bridges with Parks Canada and the Jasper Trail Alliance (JTA).
At Sunday鈥檚 AGM members saw for the first time a new detailed and costed out map of the park, which includes elements for riders of all abilities.
This is the level of detail donors and grant sources like governments are looking for in funding applications, Staneland said.
鈥淭hey gave us a whole price for the full build including materials and labour and different pricing if we can get the equipment supplied, or accommodations for their workers that lowers their overhead,鈥� he explained. 鈥淪o now we have a proper business plan. This is our roadmap.鈥�
The group raised $20,000 to fund the plan and costing by Hoots Inc.
If every element in the above image is developed with no volunteer or in-kind donations, the park would cost $650,000. Loir-mongazon said the Jasper park would never be that elaborate.
He said the minimum price tag for the park would be $350,000, which is also unattainable in the short term, so the phased approach is the way to go.
There are about 13 鈥渘odes鈥� in all. Loir-mongazon鈥檚 goal is to have one node, specifically the west corner, completed before the JPCA鈥檚 next AGM this time next year.
Jay Hoots said he鈥檚 worked with groups at both ends of the spectrum in terms of involvement. In Toronto, his company was paid to create a turnkey solution from design to construction. In Hinton, the features were already constructed and Hoots just had to install them.
鈥淛asper wants to be involved in the building of this, and there are robust opportunities for volunteerism,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he flip side is that there are other trail opportunities in that area that the community would benefit from, like trail additions to tie into in, and a widening of the existing trail there.鈥�
He said the design is inclusive.
鈥淎t the end of the day, we wanted a park where everyone would be welcome and it would be fun for visitors coming through but even more fun for the locals.鈥�
Staneland is looking forward to trying features that would be new to him, like a pump track, but said the real potential is in attracting group rides and skills camps, further enhancing Jasper鈥檚 in-town stable of assets for tourists.
That and having some fun.
鈥淚 think one of the biggest things I鈥檓 looking forward to seeing is what the kids can come up with,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he way the design is and the way the nodes flow and interact with each other, it鈥檚 going to be really open to interpretation with people riding it differently, not just following the same line.
鈥淪eeing everyone out having fun together, I think, would be the big win for me.鈥�
Craig Gilbert | [email protected]
