SEATTLE — Bicyclists in West Seattle are pushing the city to build a new "bike skills park."
It would give people of all abilities a place to ride their bikes.
"When you look at it on a map, it's kind of it's just thin strip of grass," Tony Palmieri said. "But it really does open up,"
Palmieri gave KING 5 the lay of the land, for a vision at Rotary Viewpoint in West Seattle. He's hoping to transform it into a "skills park for all ages and abilities."
He's an avid bicyclist and the founder of the new group, "Friends of West Seattle Bike Park."
"I can't describe the thrill of riding downhill fast, flying through on a bike,” Palmieri said. “There's nothing better than that."
It's this feeling he wants to share with his neighborhood. By building a bike skills park, in a green space at Rotary Viewpoint, the size of a city block. It would feature a pump track, skills area and jump lines. Providing new or experienced bike riders with a place to enjoy themselves. Palmieri said they would even plan to implement some features that are ADA-accessible.
"You want something that your whole community can use, that wants to use it,” Palmieri said. “Making it as open to as many people on whatever wheel device there is to come out and do it is kind of the goal here."
A goal that's long overdue. Palmieri said there are a couple of bike skills parks on the east side and one in Seattle, the I-5 Colonnade, located just north of downtown Seattle underneath I-5.
Palmieri has been in contact with the Seattle Parks and Rec Department, who said he'll need to go through the city grant funding process. Which would trigger the department to give responses about the feasibility, costs, and timeline.
"When it comes time to build, anybody’s shovel ready, we'll take you," Palmieri said.
If you’re interested in getting involved or want more information on the proposed park you can contact Palmieri at: friendsofwestseattlebikepark@gmail.com.