Big biking plans for Belleville’s Riverside Park

Tyler Allsopp with his mountain bike at his shop, Doug’s Bicycle Sales and Service. Allsopp has spearheaded the proposal for a mountain-bike trail through Riverside Park. Photo by Joseph Quigley, QNet News

By Joseph Quigley

BELLEVILLE – Planning for 10 kilometres of mountain-bike trails and tracks for Belleville’s Riverside Park was approved by city council this week.

The proposed trails will wind throughout the park. The project will also feature three specialty bike tracks to help riders of all ages develop biking skills, including a kids’ track to be built next to the park’s pirate ship playground.

The project is the idea of Tyler Allsopp, owner of Doug’s Bicycle Sales and Service and a member of Quinte Mountain Bike, a local group of mountain-biking enthusiasts.

Allsopp said he put the project together to share his passion for biking.

“I’m trying to get more people out and active in the community. Cycling for me was a huge impact on my life.  I want to be able to share that with other kids and other families,” he said.

The project is planned to be community funded. Allsopp said he wants to have local businesses sponsor various obstacles, while Quinte Mountain Bike will help construct the trails.

Allsopp also plans to involve local schools in the project by trying to arrange for arts and manufacturing students to help design and build some biking obstacles as part of their curriculum.

In a speech to city council Monday, Allsopp said the community-centred plan to build the trails will help make people want to use them.

“If you build it, they may come,” he told councillors. “But if we build it – they’re already there.”

City workers are still assisting the project in a few ways, such as by clearing away trees and providing dirt, but Allsopp said the costs for the city will be minimal. He added that he expects the overall project to cost $20,000 to $50,000, depending on how much support is received from the community and schools.

Coun. Egerton Boyce, who has worked with Allsopp to steer the project through city hall, said he supports the trail system.

“It’s a great idea. This is just one other avenue for the citizens to be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle,” said Boyce.

After planning is complete, council will have to approve the project before construction begins. But Boyce said he thinks that both the community and city council will get behind the new bike trails.

“Council has been very proactive and very supportive of any recreational projects,” he said. “I think they would receive this project very positively. I think the community will embrace this project.”

Allsopp said that appealing to children is at the core of these bike trails.

“I think the important part of the project is getting to kids, helping kids get outside more and helping kids get more active. What I’m hoping comes out of this is we provide a really great, safe place for kids to play and they feel a connection to their community for helping build this park.”

Allsopp said he expects the trails to be completed by May 2016, with the additional bike tracks to be completed by June.