Leave it better: ramping up a BMX landmark: Greenville's pioneer BMX park refuses to show its age.

Project:

The Extreme Park at Jaycee Park, Greenville, N.C.

History:

The Extreme Park at Greenville, N.C.'s Jaycee Park was on the leading edge of the BMX boom in the early 1990s. It had humble beginnings as a single, small wooden ramp built by a petition from local kids and their parents. The park expanded into a larger structure that catered to a mixed group of professionals and amateurs, earning it the title of "Pro Town U.S.A."

Problem:

According to Greenville City Parks Coordinator Steve Warner, the condition of the park's wooden structures was seriously deteriorating. "We would close it once a week for maintenance," Warner says. In addition, the Extreme Park wasn't equipped for competition. A growing community of professionals and professionals-in-training were using the park, but its features didn't meet competitive specifications.

Solution:

The city decided to expand the park and add new features to satisfy users of every learning level. The original nine wooden ramps were replaced with 12 steel ramps. Quarter pipes and a six and a half-foot hip (ledge) adorn the new design. Warner explains that the new facility accommodates young skaters with a kids' beginner facility.

Partnerships and Costs:

The project's renovations are valued at $300,000, but the city estimates that costs were about a third of that because volunteer workers were dedicated to the cause, including two of the X Games top BMX riders, Ryan Nyquist and Dave Mirra.

Lead Time:

The City of Greenville made funds available July 2005. By August 2005, local independent contractor Troy Hardee was constructing parts of the park in his workshop. BMX celebrities including Nyquist and Mirra, christened the new ramps and quarter pipes at the park's grand reopening on May 6.

Community Impact:

With about 20 professional BMX bikers living the Greenville area, it has become an east coast mecca for the BMX enthusiast. From the initial petitioners of the park in the early 1990s to the dozens of riders that keep the park busy every day, the Extreme Park at Jaycee Park is a cornerstone of the Greenville community.