Excitement is building in Allen County for BMX (bicycle motocross), with several recent initiatives and events focused on this style of riding:
BMX Pump Track Planned for La Harpe
Residents of La Harpe have been working with Thrive Allen County on a three-year intensive community engagement program, funded by the Kansas Health Foundation, to revitalize their community. Residents have selected a number of projects related to health, wellness, and recreation, with a particular focus on La Harpe City Park. The park has seen several significant improvements over the past few years, including a zip line, new playground equipment, and a walking trail. For the next phase, the community is using crowdfunding to raise money for more projects, which include a kid-friendly BMX Pump Track. They just completed a campaign that raised over $20,000! Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2019.
The BMX project will consist of bringing in dirt and sculpting it into a series of ramps, berms, and rollers, so that kids (and adults!) can practice their bike-handling skills, learn new techniques, and have fun in a safe but exciting new way. Volunteers with Heartland BMX in Topeka are planning to help in construction of the pump track, which will be open to and rideable by all types of bikes, not just specialized BMX bikes.
Local volunteers are needed as well! Contact Thrive Allen County for more info. 620-365-8128
BMX Hall-of-Famer Visits Iola
In early February, we had Kansas BMX hall-of-fame bicyclist Darrell Pulliam in town, talking with Iola USD 257 students about his career as a professional BMX rider, and about the BMX pump track soon to be built in La Harpe.
Darrell is still racing, competing in the Masters class at major BMX events, as part of the Wichita Old School BMX team.
Forward BMX Show Thrills Students
On February 20th, Thrive brought the Forward BMX Show to the Bowlus Fine Arts Center to give a raucous high-energy performance to USD 257 students. Kids screamed and cheered as the bikes and riders flew through the air and performed intricate skill tricks on the Bowlus stage.
At one point, the Principal was part of the show:
Other BMX Projects
- Our hometown bike shop, Southwind Cycle and Outdoor, carries a full line of high-quality BMX bikes and gear
- The City of Iola, in cooperation with the USD 257 Safebase after-school program and Southwind Cycle and Outdoor, is planning a BMX pump track of its own.
- The Lehigh Portland Trails features a small BMX Area, located just off the East Loop Trail. The site, situated in a small homestead quarry, has unfortunately faced some severe hydrology issues, making the area prone to standing water during wet periods. The Lehigh BMX Area has a lot of potential, but needs some work to make it more functional.