Gleneagles Adventure Park
Each feature is rated by difficulty, from green circle to black diamond.

Vancouver Riders Soar at Gleneagles

West Vancouver's skills park is a model facility

Gleneagles Adventure Park is a new mountain bike skills park located on municipal land near Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, British Columbia. The park opened in 2004; a planned move and reopening took place in 2005, in conjunction with a new skateboard park.

Gleneagles features a dirt-jumping area and a variety of freeriding features. The jumps - all tabletops - are designed for a wide range of abilities and vary in height from 3 to 7 feet, and in length from 3 to 12 feet. The freeriding area includes bridges, ramps, drops, teeters and skinnys. Each feature is rated by difficulty, from green circle to black diamond.

Trevor Chronister, an 18-year-old mechanic at the Cove Bike Shop, helped design and build the park. "The best thing about Gleneagles is that the features and jumps are progressive. You can start on smaller stuff and work up as you get more skilled. There's always another level to work toward. It's exploding and we love it."

According to the district's website, the park offers more than extreme thrills. It also provides a safe place for kids and families to play together, be active and connect with their community. "The kids didn't want another playing field - they wanted a mountain biking park," says Christi O'Krainetz, youth advocate for the District of West Vancouver. "And by combining the bike park with a skate park, all located next to the fire hall and police office, we've created an ideal community gathering spot."

"From a liability point of view, we treat it like any other public playground," says O'Krainetz. "The district's risk management team assessed it and we employed straightforward safety measures. We use signage to describe the risks, park etiquette and rules. All obstacles are rated by difficulty, and we use a checklist for maintenance."

O'Krainetz had this piece of advice for other communities looking to build a bike park: "Volunteers must shoulder some of the burden, but partnerships are the key. Find a champion inside the halls of government who can take on the new challenge and push it through the beauracracy." Several professionals were brought in to design and construct Gleneagles. Pro mountain biker Jay Hoots led the design process, skilled carpenters from Whistler helped with the stunt construction, and landscape architects Van der Zalm and Associates provided architectural services.

The suggestions offered in this and other IMBA trailbuilding articles do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trailbuilders and landowners are responsible for the safety of their own trails and facilities. Freeriding and dirt jumping are high-risk activities that can result in serious injuries. IMBA's goal is to help land managers and volunteers manage these risks by sharing information.