BARRHEAD - The Town of Barrhead will expand the newly-named Dr. Brent M. Wray All-Wheel Park to include a mountain and BMX bicycle skills portion.
Town of Barrhead councillors approved one of two options from Hoots Inc. for the skills park addition during their June 10 meeting.
Funding for the new all-wheel park, an estimated $100,000 attraction, $50,000 will come partially from sponsorship funds from the naming of the park sponsorship and the other half from the general capital.
Councillors chose Option #1, a layout favouring more advanced users with a more dynamic design that includes a broader range of features intended to challenge more advanced riders while still offering elements for newcomers. Option #2 was centred around a more beginner-friendly layout, focusing on skill-building progression and being more accessible to riders of various experience levels.
The majority of councillors favoured Option #1, while Coun. Rod Klumph voted for Option #2.
Parks and Recreation Director Shallon Touet said during the council's 2025 budget deliberations that they identified the need to expand recreational opportunities for youth by enhancing the all-wheel park to include a bike skills component.
"[The bike skills area] was always part of the original concept for the park," he said.
The municipality announced the possible construction of the park in June 2021 as a replacement for its aging and now-defunct skatepark next to the Barrhead Curling Club and the Barrhead Centennial Museum. It opened Phase 1 of the project in the spring of 2023.
Touet said to begin the process, the municipality contacted two experienced companies in the industry: Hoots Inc., a company known for using natural materials, such as dirt, wood and rock, based in Hinton and Ontario's Canadian Ramp Company, which specialized in constructing skills parks using durable products built from composite material, asking them to submit concept designs for the park.
After consideration, council chose Hoots Inc.
Touet said in the five- to six-week run-up to the June 10 council meeting, he conducted an informal survey asking the users of the all-wheel park which of the two options they preferred, saying the majority, 47, preferred Option #1, while 29 favoured the second, less-challenging layout.
"Both options complement what is already there in the all-wheel par," he said. "[Both options] have features for beginner and intermediate uses and incorporate a speed factor, the same as for the all wheels portion."
Mayor Dave McKenzie said he also favoured the first option, saying it better complimented what was already in place.
"It keeps those just starting in their own area. Higher-level performers get nervous when they are near those who are not of their skill level," he said. "At least that is what those users I informally talked to."
Coun. Rod Klump inquired about the correlation between the skill levels of each option and the potential for user injury and liability to the municipality.
"There's always an opportunity for injury on any playground. Even if kids are practicing their bike skills while wearing personal protective equipment, such as a helmet, elbow, knee, and shin pads, there will still be the occasional injury," Touet said. All we can do is our best to minimize the severity of the injury and hope the kids don't fall."
Coun. Dave Sawatzky asked Jay Hoots of Hoots Inc. about the warranty of the skills area.
Hoots Inc. owner Jay Hoots stated that the skills area would have a one-year warranty following the completion of construction.
"The important thing to note is that we are using the same technology and the same type of materials in every one of our parks. We recognize that it has a lifecycle, regardless of whether we still have a relationship with it," he said. "The bottom line is that we have to do our due diligence to make sure that you are getting the best product you can, and we want to continue our relationship with you, whether it is through having conversations about how the park is doing, or you would like to engage us for one our maintenance services."
Construction of the bike skills area is slated to begin later this summer and is projected to be complete before the end of the fall."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
