Officials broke ground Tuesday morning on a new bike park they hope will make Mason City a destination for outdoor enthusiasts across the nation.
Located on the city's north end near the entrance to Zerble's Trail at 1409 Elm Drive, which butts up against the southern edge of Lime Creek Nature Center, Prairie Rock Bike Park is part of a nearly $12 million project to link the 450-acre conservation area to the new High Line Trail, the Riverwalk near Southbridge Mall and 20 miles of recreation trails.
The bike park, which also sits just north of the dog park on Elm Drive, was made possible by a $4.5 million state Destination Iowa grant received by the city and Cerro Gordo County. Officials including Mayor Bill Schickel, City Administrator Aaron Burnett, and Alaina Santizo of the Iowa Economic Development Authority were on hand for Tuesday's ceremony.
People are also reading…
"This will link us to Mason City's new River Walk, which you're going to be hearing a lot more about in the very near future," Schickel told assembled guests.
The River Walk is another "placemaking" effort on the part of Mason City. It will feature walking trails, play areas and a gateway art installation that will be visible from the southern entry to downtown just south of the Mason City Multipurpose Arena along the banks of the Willow Creek.
The nearest bike park with comparable amenities is located in Bentonville, Arkansas, and draws thousands of visitors a year. Burnett praised the project and the residents who helped drive it.
"We started these conversations almost on a whim," Burnett said. "We went on a Minnesota ski trip and the idea came up. Knowing some of these dedicated cyclists like Matt Curtis and the Baileys (Steve and Brooke), we saw the possibilities and worked toward finding the funding for it."
The park is the continuation of a vision by the city and cycling enthusiasts from the area. Matt Curtis, owner of Wayne's Ski and Cycle, worked closely with other cyclists, city staff, and state officials to craft a concept that would entertain locals and attract visitors from around the country.
"I never expected to be here in just four short years," Curtis said. "Early on, we were just hoping for the city to invest in the concept. We've been so blessed to have them behind us and to have found other partners who were interested, too."
The park will feature a multilevel design and shelter house. The shelter itself will be somewhat elevated, allowing for visitors to look out upon cyclists as they "session" on the planned cycling features. Features are the dips, hills, climbs and other obstacles on which to practice cycling skills. A session is how bicycling enthusiasts describe their practice.
The design of the shelter house will echo Prairie School designs by Frank Lloyd Wright.
The bike park is expected to be completed by summer of 2025.
There will be another public groundbreaking ceremony for Prairie Rock Trails Riverhawk Trail at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 30, at the parking lot of the Alternative High School, located at 19 N. Illinois Ave.