The City of Langford will add another recreational amenity to its roster this fall with the $1.8-million Jordie Lunn Bike Park at Irwin Ponds Park on Irwin Road.
The 14-acre park is named after Lunn, a Langford resident and world-renowned Vancouver Island freerider who died while trail riding in Mexico last October.
Langford Mayor Stew Young said the park will be the only one of its kind in Canada, as it will be dedicated to biking and offer a variety of features designed to please local biking enthusiasts and athletes from around the country. “Not only will this bike park allow for Langford to attract world-class cycling events, it will also provide biking and cycling opportunities for families and those of all ages and abilities for many years to come,” Young said.
The park is a joint effort of Langford, which provided the land, Westhills Land Development, the Wheelhouse Cycling Society, the Jordie Lunn Memorial Fund, Belmont High School and Hazelwood Construction.
The park will feature a three-kilometre cyclo-cross course (an off-road trail with a variety of obstacles), a world-class pump track (riders navigate by generating momentum through body movement rather than pedalling), three sections of bike jump runs, a bike-skills area and a clubhouse with meeting space, washrooms, showers, bike wash stations and storage.
The park, which is expected to be complete within the next nine months, will be located beside a $1.6-million trail network that is under construction.
Young said the project will help turn that part of Langford into an eco-recreation hub, and pay tribute to Lunn, who devoted much of his life to cycling, built bike parks and trails, and established camps and clinics for kids.
In a statement, the Lunn family noted they are committed to providing a legacy in Jordie Lunn’s name for children and youth to be safe and active, and enjoy building their biking skills.
Young said the new park, trail network and this week’s announcement of a proposed performing arts centre and museum illustrates the city’s new brand.
Langford’s new tagline, unveiled this week, is “where it all happens.”
“We’ve never really branded ourselves before, but then we have some pretty cool stuff going on out here — Langford has changed,” he said, adding the term “Dogpatch” is rarely heard these days.
“We have new schools, new infrastructure, new recreational facilities and we’re the fastest-growing community in B.C.,” he added. “There’s a lot happening here. This is the busiest I’ve been in 30 years.”
