Outreach & Permitting for a Unique Park Feature
Mercer Island Bike Skills Area
Finding a new home for a skill-building bike course beloved by community members of all ages and abilities.
In the northeast corner of Deane’s Children’s Park on Mercer Island, a Bike Skills Area has found a new home. While the former location at the north end of the island was quite popular, it experienced frequent closures due to safety concerns, erosion, and vegetation impacts.
After a long planning process, the new, centrally located bike skills area now provides better access for the whole community and improved safety. It was designed for skill building for all ages and abilities, as well as easy maintenance and minimal impact to the natural area that surrounds the area.
Board & Vellum provided local support to the project lead, American Ramp Company, leading public engagement and providing environmental code review. Our goal for public engagement was to provide fun and accessible opportunities for a broad range of community members to share their thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns about creating this new park amenity in a well-loved park.
Skills Challenges
Features such as berms, senders, turns, and bumps offer skill building challenges for all levels of experience. Mercer Island Bike Skills Area | Photo by Board & Vellum
Skills Challenges
Features such as berms, senders, turns, and bumps offer skill building challenges for all levels of experience. Mercer Island Bike Skills Area | Photo by Board & Vellum
A Park Feature
Maintaining the canopy of mature trees helps the bike skills area feel like a long established part of the greater park. Mercer Island Bike Skills Area | Photo by Board & Vellum
A Park Feature
Maintaining the canopy of mature trees helps the bike skills area feel like a long established part of the greater park. Mercer Island Bike Skills Area | Photo by Board & Vellum
Our Outreach and Public Engagement Plan, developed in collaboration with City of Mercer Island and American Ramp Company, identified stakeholders, outlined an actionable approach, tools, and methods, and established a schedule that met City needs. Our approach centered around establishing a community conversation.
Both in-person events and virtual focus groups allowed the community to come together to discuss and work out their opinions, ideas, and concerns. Additionally, we launched three public surveys online to allow community members to offer their feedback in their own time.
Path Variations
Gravel and boardwalk paths create a variable riding experience that invite and challenge riders of all skill levels. Mercer Island Bike Skills Area | Photo by Board & Vellum
Path Variations
Gravel and boardwalk paths create a variable riding experience that invite and challenge riders of all skill levels. Mercer Island Bike Skills Area | Photo by Board & Vellum
As an on-site consultant, we also spent time walking the site to explore the opportunities and constraints of the existing conditions. Our knowledge and deep analysis of local code ensured the proposed designs met jurisdictional requirements and were aligned with the permit submittal process.
The new bike park feels well established nestled within a canopy of mature trees. Gravel and boardwalk paths and a variety of features offer skill building challenges for all levels of experience, including a bicycle playground. The community’s appreciation for the park is remarkable through their ongoing stewardship of the trails and features, as well as in the number of regular users.
Notes & Credits
Community outreach and project permitting by Board & Vellum.
Bike skills track designed by American Ramp Company.
Photography by Board & Vellum.
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