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Cycling Fri Mar 05 2010
"The Garden" Grow Up
The derkin' dudes at the Bonebell reported today that CAMBR (Chicago Area Mountain Bikers) and the Chicago Park District approved the opening of Chicago's first-ever bike park in the woods behind Lane Tech on the former Riverview Park grounds.
"The Garden" (3400 N Rockwell Street) has existed for a number of years as the home of renegade bike jumpers, BMX daredevils, and trials practitioners. It was the little secret sanctuary of ramps, pits, and pivots just feet away from the noise and bustle of the streets. Now it's not much of a secret anymore, but that's OK, because the facility is completely legit, thanks to the hard work of a battalion of volunteers, CAMBR, and the CPD.
As the Bonebell so beautifully puts it:
Every serious dirtbagger who grew up on BMX in Chicago in the '80s has attempted some boneheaded move well beyond our skill level behind that high school [Lane Tech]. Bruised ribs, cracked frames, and scarred elbows have emerged from this quaint plot of land conveniently nestled from the view of a busy Chicago boulevard, the busy strip malls and old DMV stations of yore. It was a great place to have known about and ridden on in the past 20 years.
A grand opening is in the works and will be announced shortly. It should go without saying that with all the snowmelt and predicted rain, the park will likely be unrideable for a few days.
