The council, which heard a report on the BMX agreement Tuesday, expects to vote on the matter in the near future.
BMX is the popular name for bicycle motorcross, a sport in which riders perform stunts on small pedal bicycles. The issue of allowing BMX riders into Valley Park skate park in Burbank is not new. When the park opened in 2003, cyclists expressed interest in using the facility, which cost $700,000 to build and brought in $15,000 in its first four months. The council rejected the idea, saying it would be too dangerous to have skaters and BMX riders share the space.
The city revisited the issue three years later, but the city attorney’s office declared BMX riding on city property dangerous because it incorporates jumping and other stunts it deemed hazardous.
Pressed by cyclists to reexamine the matter, city officials last week issued two retrofitting options to make the park available to BMX riders while ensuring their safety. The first plan calls for moving the park’s fence, expanding the landings and keeping the facility supervised. The second includes removing the fence and thus the on-site supervisor. Officials estimate it would cost $100,000 to retrofit the park.
“I think it’s a good investment, particularly in these economic times,” Councilwoman Marsha Ramos said. “If we can find the one-time resources, and I hope we can, I think it’s more important than ever to provide activities for young people.”
Mayor Dave Golonski said it doesn’t have to cost $100,000.
