Deane’s Children’s Park is proposed location for new Bike Skills Area

If all goes according to a freshly devised proposal, the Mercer Island Bike Skills Area (BSA) could have a new home at Deane’s Children’s Park in the mid- to late-summer of 2023.

At its July 19 meeting, city council appropriated $75,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund to begin the design of the BSA at Deane’s to include a community engagement process and Parks and Recreation Commission review of the 30% design.

The city closed the BSA in Upper Luther Burbank Park on Oct. 7, 2021, due to significant operating challenges and safety concerns, including unauthorized course expansion and construction of new trails — which deteriorated some vegetation — and large jumps that exceeded the posted guidelines, according to the city. The closure was slated to be temporary at that time.

Deane’s Children’s Park is located at 5701 Island Crest Way in the northeast corner of Island Crest Park. The commission, which recommends that the new BSA be designed in the former Adventure Playground in the park’s western portion, voted at its July 7 meeting that Deane’s would be an ideal location for a long-term site to get bikes back into action.

“The commission had a really good in-depth discussion about the merits of the various sites and limitations and potential issues and ended up voting that staff should come to council and request funding for the design of a new Bike Skills Area at Deane’s Children’s Park, specifically,” said Alaine Sommargren, the city’s deputy director of Public Works, at the council meeting.

Key advantages for the Deane’s spot are its central Island location, existing bathroom, more frequent parks maintenance, a wider and safer space for riding than at Upper Luther Burbank and more, according to a commission report. The park also features forest management for preservation of trees and safety.

The commission initially voted at its April 26 special meeting in favor of recommending the BSA temporarily reopening at its current site. After a three-member subcommittee evaluated potential long-term sites, the commission made its current decision on July 7 and rescinded its original recommendation. Also in the running for a new site was a section on the west side of Aubrey Davis Park near West Mercer Way.

According to Sommargren, the city hasn’t yet allocated any funding to the BSA project; the estimated total project budget is approximately $350,000 (including design and construction); and a capital funding placeholder for construction will be included in the 2023-24 biennial budget.

Two commentors at the July 19 meeting — who represent the mountain biking community — strongly recommended that the city reopen the BSA as soon as possible in its current location while working on the long-term solution. They said the BSA is a safe space for kids to recreate outdoors and promotes children’s well-being. Another commentor opposes the Deane’s location because of the lack of public input into the commission’s recommendation to council.

Commission members Peter Struck and Paul Burstein said they reached out to community organizations and residents over the last few weeks, but don’t feel they can adequately assess the pros and cons of the site until the 30% design is unveiled. Issues regarding drainage, soil and safety will need to be addressed in the design, they said. The proposed, just beyond one-quarter-acre BSA footprint at Deane’s will be similar to the Luther Burbank course.

According to Jason Kintner, Public Works director and chief of operations, the commission faced some tough decisions over the last few months.

“It is staff’s anticipation and desire to get this facility open as quickly as possible. As we conveyed to the commission at the last meeting, in order to do that, focusing our attention on one site rather than two is going to help us get there sooner,” he said.

City councilmember Jake Jacobson added: “My heart goes out to people who would like to have something for their children to do tomorrow. But I don’t think that’s possible and I’m concerned that we would not have — even if we could open it up right now — a very long run at Upper Luther Burbank Park given the topography and the challenges it has from drainage and other standpoints.”

The project’s proposed timeline, according to Sommargren, includes city staff presenting the 30% design to the commission in the fall of 2022 for review and feedback; sending the commission-recommended 30% design to council in early 2023; developing the design and having the construction project out for bid in the spring of 2023; and beginning construction in the late spring of 2023.

Sommargren added that the city is aiming for a professionally designed and maintained course that won’t be altered by users.

Community input and engagement will be vital during the entire procedure.

“The city is very interested in having Bike Skills Area users participate in this construction process, as much as possible, and we know there’s been a lot of interest in volunteer opportunities for riders,” she said.

For more information about the BSA, visit https://letstalk.mercergov.org/bike-skills-area-at-upper-luther-burbank-park.