CHICO >> Dozens of bicyclists and community members came together on Wednesday at a vacant lot of brushy hills that will soon by converted into an expansive bike park on Humboldt Avenue near Marsh Junior High School.

The Chico Bike Park officially broke ground during a ceremony on Wednesday, when members of Chico Velo, a local biking organization, and the Chico Area Recreation and Park District showcased designs for the park and laid out the proposed amenities.

Chico Velo board member Thad Walker said he hopes the park will act as a community hub for those wanting to ride.

“This really does check all the boxes for us as far as being a community-driven project,” Walker said. “And I think one of the things we’re most excited about is, of course, it’s a park focused on bikes. However, this park really will have something for everyone in the community, whether it’s coming out and enjoying the playground, just enjoying being together or enjoying the food trucks and the beer garden. It’s just a place for the community to come together.”

The park is slated to cost between $6 million and $7 million, which was raised in a joint effort by the Lupine Legacy Foundation alongside Chico Velo.CARD Director of Parks and Facilities Scott Schumann said the district is working with local businesses for the construction and architecture components but will bring in the American Ramp Company for the park elements.

“(The American Ramp Company) is kind of a premier builder, and the advantage of going with them is that they know exactly what they’re doing,” Schumann said. “And that was identified through a process with Chico Velo and the Lupine Legacy Foundation, who are essentially building the park and getting the operations up and eventually it will be handed over to CARD.”

Schumann said construction is expected to begin within the next two weeks and the park should be operational in spring 2026.

Park layout

After the ceremony, attendees were free to walk the home of the new bike park before construction begins. A guided tour was offered that provided context and locations to the future facilities.

At various parts of the lot, signs were put up with digitally generated designs such as ramps, a beverage bar and a playground area.

Schumann said the park would have amenities for bike riders at all levels.

“We’re super excited to have this kind of full breadth of recreational opportunities,” Schumann said. “There will be something called flow lines, and those will start in this high zone and riders of all different abilities will have the opportunity to drop down off of a starting zone with varying levels of speed and then enter into different lines. Some of them will be for beginners, super entry level to experience that feeling of flow, going all the way up to intermediate and advance levels where they’re banking off of corners, going off of jumps, dropping into a bowl and catching air jumping out.”

Schumann said he hopes those newer to bicycling will be able to grow by using the new park.

“As people develop skill over time, they’ll slowly be able to graduate up to more challenging elements,” Schumman said.

Other features will include skinny, narrow tracks as well as seesaws and more items that Schumann said would require more technical skill than speed. There will also be a pump track similar to the dirt one in Wildwood Park, but paved.

While the park is primarily focused on biking, other elements will include a playground with a rubberized surface, picnic structures, a drink and concessions stand, an area for food trucks and bathrooms.

“Families will be able to come, grab a bite to eat, have something to drink, relax in the shade of the picnic and pavilion structures while everybody gets a chance to ride,” Schumann said. “It’s going to be a pretty spectacular family-oriented kind of multi-generational park for everybody to enjoy.”

Community support

Speakers at the ceremony included CARD General Manager Annabel Grimm and Chico Public Works Director Erik Gustafson.

Grimm thanked the Lupine family for support and for backing the project and helping it become a reality.

“Today is a celebration of what’s possible when we work together,” Grimm said during her speech at the ceremony. “And this is just the beginning. When the ribbon is cut and the first riders roll onto the trails, we’ll know that this park is not only here for today, but for generations to come.”

Before the plans for the park, the lot faced some troubles and potential health hazards.

“Not too long ago, this Humboldt Road property used to have an old house that contained lead and asbestos,” Gustafson recalled while addressing the crowd. “It was commonly occupied by those experiencing homelessness, which led to some vandalism and some environmental issues. So it’s exciting for me to see this bike park project come to fruition.”

The crowd of people who attended the event showed overwhelming support for the project, with current and former community leaders such as sitting City Councilor Dale Bennett and former mayor Anne Schwab.

“I think it will be a place for us to come together,” Schwab said. “It creates our identity. What’s more positive than something that’s healthy? Riding your bicycles, getting families together and getting into the outdoors. That’s what Chico is all about.”