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BMX Club gets track relocation

Penticton BMX Club gets city approval to relocate to Munson Mountain

Penticton BMX Club just got another step closer to realizing its dream of having a track capable of hosting national races.

Penticton city council supported the relocation of the BMX track from Lions Park to 630 Munson Mountain Rd. with a 12-1 vote. While Munson Mountain wasn’t the club’s first choice, they are not disappointed.

“Last night was fantastic,” said BMX club president Andrew Bayston.

The next step for the club is reaching out to the Agricultural Land Commission and getting the land approved. Bayston doesn’t expect that to be an issue since the property was initially going to be used for sports facilities. Bayston said they have to work on their track plans, specifically where it will sit on up to 1.12 hectares of land. They will license the land for $1 per year on a five-year term with options to renew for an additional two or five years.

Councillor Andre Martin was the lone vote against the relocation. Martin’s reasoning had to do with accessibility for younger people who don’t have parents that are able to take them to the track.

“For them to get up to Munson Mountain, it’s a tough climb already and then you are going to go there and try to compete?” he said. “I wish we could find some way to make it work at the Blind Mice location, because that is where that is all going.”

Martin added that there is room to do it where it currently exists and expand it.

“Keep most of the infrastructure and expand it there,” he said. “When we come to the public hearing, I think we will find a lot more about what the public’s views are.”

Asked to comment on Martin’s response, Bayston said that was the only issue they had as well.

“Yes, it’s five minutes up hill. A lot of kids for years where we were, were able to ride there on their own. Families would ride their bikes there as well.

“Where we are situated, and the issues we face currently, this new area outweighs any of those issues,” he continued.

Bayston added that the city is going to help put a trail from the KVR that connects to the facility.

The move is huge for the club Bayston said, as they will now be able to host national events, which will have to wait until the following season because schedules are already complete.

“We’re so excited,” said Bayston, who will now reach out to the people who have offered to help build the track.

The club anticipates within the next month to have the plan in place to begin construction. The club plans to use two to three acres for a full scale track and three to four acres for a facility. The track would be a minimum of 150 feet by 350 feet with a spectator area of 400 feet by 500 feet.

“We should definitely be having this completed for the majority of our season,” he said, adding they he will be connecting with the Penticton and Area Cycling Association to form a partnership for both clubs to utilize Munson Mountain.

When asked about what will happen with the old track, mayor Andrew Jakubeit said he isn’t sure.

“It will probably get decommissioned to a passive park or something else,” said Jakubeit. “Once we go through the public process to actually move BMX to where it is going … then we will figure out how we are going to decommission.

“I think the BMX group is ready to go the moment they have the go ahead,” he continued. “It could be this year, it depends on how long the public process takes. There is a few hoops to go through.”