Taa Daaa!~

BEFORE...

AND AFTER!!!

We are 80 percent complete in all phases!!



Go and enjoy this park on June 16th, it encompasses every skill and fitness level and has been 100 percent built on peoples passion to introduce to you what biking really is and how it can benefit your life. Sounds cheesy but it is true, get in there and enjoy it and a huge thanks to all the volunteers and all of the donations to the Friends of North Saanich Freeride Society!

So June 16th we expect to be 100 percent open in all the new phases only leaving the Pro line and the much anticipated dual slalom course to be built which pending donations of material and funding for completion!

Remember riding this park before the opening date JUNE 16TH is illegal and will result in further delays in the parks opening. Please respect this and wait until it is ready, we have worked very hard to acheive thsi and it would be a shame to have it closed due to a few people who decide to jump the fence.

Other than that get ready for a fun summer!

North Saanich Freeride Park AGM!

This is it, by this weekend we should have phase 1 legally open for all to come ride! Massive pump track was finished last night with the aid of a light system and some old fashion elbow grease!

**FOR CONFIRMATION OF PARK OPENING, CHECK BACK FRIDAY EVENING**

Our third AGM is set for Dec 11 2008, 7PM at Mary Winspear.
We are looking for volunteers to help with fundraising and to help run our society.

NSMBS *North Saanich Mountain Bike Society* will be eagerly seeking the right candidates to make this park like no other. We want to open phases 2, 3, 4 and 5 the following year with an ambitious goal to erect structure making it a covered, all weather riding facility.

We appreciate any support that you may be able to
provide.

Again Dec 11th 2008, 7PM at Mary Winspear Center out here in Sidney, right off the Highway.


A lot has been done behind the scenes to even get to this stage, we have an amazing Gas sponsorship through Peninsula C0-Op intended to keep our Generous donations of Machines from G & E Equipment Rentals / Dave Aylard, North Saanich Municipality Parks Division and Endless support from Sidney Water Front Inn and Spa .


Tilt your head a little bit! This is our end goal, so please support North Saanich and our quest for a place for kids and adults to enjoy their rides.

Pumptrack test run!

We finally received some quality material and immediately went to work forming/fixing the pump track. Kyles' skills with the Bobcat along with the ease of raking the soft material, has enabled us to be close to opening phase one! Kyle gently forming the track with his bucket! This is when you sadly realize that you are not in as good of shape as you thought, you can hear me huffing as I video taped.


It's taken awhile, but we finally scored some proper material and had it trucked in by Gordy Martman Excavating. Previously, we had to mix 60/40 sand and clay and it sucked! Either it snowed, rained or we always ran out of material. But the new material is so easy to manipulate.

Kyle Michell, Cliff Haliday and myself hammered out the track in 7 hours! We had Cliff on the Wheel Loader, dropping material in key spots and Kyle working his magic with the bobcat, supplied by Jim Dunlop.


Kyle getting the Bobcat ready to show off why we call him the Rockstar!

Look at that material... so nice to rake instead of clay chunks!

We need more DIRT!!

Been a while since I posted a blog, bike season has kicked in full swing and we are just awaiting some material to cap the course for the soft opening.
You can see some video of it, the paint is unreal. Drew's ride!
We have to date built the entire park on volunteer time and efforts and no budget what so ever!

This park is no joke Canada in not known for taking care of their athletes, so props to North Saanich for stepping up.

Check out Drew's new ride he took to the worlds here
You can see more here on Sickline "What the Pros Ride"

Anyone who knows anyone with material please contact me Greg at 250-655-6603


So here's the update: Our designer/ builders report.

Kyle Michell just got back from building the UCI BMX worlds and Olympic track in Beijing. He still cannot breath he claims due to the nasty smog.

Andrew Sherry is floating around at competitions and pulled a solid 8hr, 8 man work party forming the berms coming out of the first pump track and the kids section. Halting due to lack of material.

Andrew Mitchell is in Italy right now racing the second World cup after a bad crash In Scotland a week or so ago. Back on his game and in 16 hours the race begins so stoked to see what comes of it.

Click here to watch some footage of the course they will be battling on! FreeCaster it is sick! You can see Drew slide by around the 1:04 mark on his orange cove.

So we will get the park going the first chance we get some material, so stay tuned.
Anyone wanting to watch it live go to my friends website he has the countdown clicking.
Watch Sicklines coverage